Changes

2.14. matra-sparshas tu kaunteya ! sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah agama payino anityaH ! tams-  titikshasva bharata "O son of Kunti, the cold and heat and happiness and distress, are transient. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." O son of Kunti , as a result of the action of basic forces(tanma:tra:s) in the form of shabda , sparsha , roopa , rasa and gandha otherwise speech , sensation , form , fluidity and smell with which the senses come into contact by means of the field of association called samyo:ga , coldness , heat etc are felt. These cause happiness and sorrow in varying proportions. In the state of liberation , such happiness or sorrow are incapable of affecting the soul. Hence you must bear with such happiness and sorrow. In response to previous sloka, Arjuna responds that, if the soul is eternal and moves from body to body, then it will be ok, if the "I" is aware of this change. But, since a person does not know or does not have any proof of this, he is doubtful and grieved at the thought of shedding his body at death! Krishna says in response, that since he is saying this happens, it should be accepted. Great Gnaani's and Yogis know about this. Since individuals are ignorant, they don't realize it. For eg: WHen a sun sets in east, it rises on the other side of the earth. Even though people in east cannot directly infer it, the truth is the sun is visible elsewhere. Thus we believe others in the other part of the world saying that the Sun is still shining. So, He asks Arjuna, 'you believe others but why not what I said about the Atman?'. This is a difficult suggestion. But only when we have this unshakable faith in Him that what He told is the truth and correct, we can be regarded as Bhakthas. This appears to be illogical. There are many yogis and saints, who have seen the atman going from one body to another. They are able to tell what was the previous birth and what the future birth would be. If one cultivates one s knowledge, one can also know all these abstract happenings. So Sri Krishna says that just because Arjuna did not know the traverse from one body to another, he cannot deny that phenomenon. Arjuna says that granting what He said was accepted, why still one should fight and suffer? Even if the body and all matters are momentary, all feel the pain and why should we suffer? Arjuna then has another question, accepting even that soul is eternal, don't we still have to suffer with pain in this body, indulging in warfare ?? Krishna responds that it is true, but a true gnaani should bear it with equanimity. Sri Krishna says that when objectives are exalted, one has to bear these pains. All types of weather (Heat, Cold etc) and all types of situations (Happiness, Grief etc) should be borne with calmness and same attitude by a true gnaani. The basis for all this pain and pleasure is our "TanMaatras" which is INEVITABLE. (Senses and the PanchaBhootams) Maatra - TanMaatra : Pancha Bhootam -Pritvi, Vayu, Apsu, Tejas, Akasaam Pancha Tanmatram - Shabdham, Sparsam, Roopam, Rasam, Gandham - "Gandhavati Pruthvi" (man-Vaasanai SMELL - NOSE) , "Water-Ruchi Rasam TASTE - TONGUE" "Blaze of Fire has a FORM - EYES" , "Roopa Rahita Sparashavaan Vayu - TOUCH SKIN" "Shabdham - SOUND - EAR" Cold and heat and happiness and sorrow should be tolerated. Which are responsible for these feelings? Sri Krishna mentions mathra and contact. Mathra denotes the pancha thanmathra or the five basic feelings related to the five basic elements. The five elements are earth, water, fire, air and space [prithvi, appu, agni, vayu and akasam]. Each of these has a unique characteristic. These characteristics are called the thanmathras. Smell or gandham is earth s feature. Taste or rasam is of water. Appearance or roopam is of fire. Touch or sparsam is of air and sound or shabdam is of space. Each of these thanmathras are felt by specific organs in our body, nose for smell, tongue for taste, eyes for vision, ears for hearing and skin for touch. ELEMENT**** THANMATHRA **** SENSING ORGAN Earth *********smell or scent********* nose Water********* taste***************** tongue Fire************vision or sight ********eyes Air ************touch****************skin Space********** sound**************** ear When there is a contact between the elements and the organs, we get that feeling which is responsible for happiness or sorrow. If this contact or connection was

2.14. matra-sparshas tu kaunteya ! sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah agama payino anityaH ! tams-  titikshasva bharata "O son of Kunti, the cold and heat and happiness and distress, are transient. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." O son of Kunti , as a result of the action of basic forces(tanma:tra:s) in the form of shabda , sparsha , roopa , rasa and gandha otherwise speech , sensation , form , fluidity and smell with which the senses come into contact by means of the field of association called samyo:ga , coldness , heat etc are felt. These cause happiness and sorrow in varying proportions. In the state of liberation , such happiness or sorrow are incapable of affecting the soul. Hence you must bear with such happiness and sorrow. In response to previous sloka, Arjuna responds that, if the soul is eternal and moves from body to body, then it will be ok, if the "I" is aware of this change. But, since a person does not know or does not have any proof of this, he is doubtful and grieved at the thought of shedding his body at death! Krishna says in response, that since he is saying this happens, it should be accepted. Great Gnaani's and Yogis know about this. Since individuals are ignorant, they don't realize it. For eg: WHen a sun sets in east, it rises on the other side of the earth. Even though people in east cannot directly infer it, the truth is the sun is visible elsewhere. Thus we believe others in the other part of the world saying that the Sun is still shining. So, He asks Arjuna, 'you believe others but why not what I said about the Atman?'. This is a difficult suggestion. But only when we have this unshakable faith in Him that what He told is the truth and correct, we can be regarded as Bhakthas. This appears to be illogical. There are many yogis and saints, who have seen the atman going from one body to another. They are able to tell what was the previous birth and what the future birth would be. If one cultivates one s knowledge, one can also know all these abstract happenings. So Sri Krishna says that just because Arjuna did not know the traverse from one body to another, he cannot deny that phenomenon. Arjuna says that granting what He said was accepted, why still one should fight and suffer? Even if the body and all matters are momentary, all feel the pain and why should we suffer? Arjuna then has another question, accepting even that soul is eternal, don't we still have to suffer with pain in this body, indulging in warfare ?? Krishna responds that it is true, but a true gnaani should bear it with equanimity. Sri Krishna says that when objectives are exalted, one has to bear these pains. All types of weather (Heat, Cold etc) and all types of situations (Happiness, Grief etc) should be borne with calmness and same attitude by a true gnaani. The basis for all this pain and pleasure is our "TanMaatras" which is INEVITABLE. (Senses and the PanchaBhootams) Maatra - TanMaatra : Pancha Bhootam -Pritvi, Vayu, Apsu, Tejas, Akasaam Pancha Tanmatram - Shabdham, Sparsam, Roopam, Rasam, Gandham - "Gandhavati Pruthvi" (man-Vaasanai SMELL - NOSE) , "Water-Ruchi Rasam TASTE - TONGUE" "Blaze of Fire has a FORM - EYES" , "Roopa Rahita Sparashavaan Vayu - TOUCH SKIN" "Shabdham - SOUND - EAR" Cold and heat and happiness and sorrow should be tolerated. Which are responsible for these feelings? Sri Krishna mentions mathra and contact. Mathra denotes the pancha thanmathra or the five basic feelings related to the five basic elements. The five elements are earth, water, fire, air and space [prithvi, appu, agni, vayu and akasam]. Each of these has a unique characteristic. These characteristics are called the thanmathras. Smell or gandham is earth s feature. Taste or rasam is of water. Appearance or roopam is of fire. Touch or sparsam is of air and sound or shabdam is of space. Each of these thanmathras are felt by specific organs in our body, nose for smell, tongue for taste, eyes for vision, ears for hearing and skin for touch. ELEMENT**** THANMATHRA **** SENSING ORGAN Earth *********smell or scent********* nose Water********* taste***************** tongue Fire************vision or sight ********eyes Air ************touch****************skin Space********** sound**************** ear When there is a contact between the elements and the organs, we get that feeling which is responsible for happiness or sorrow. If this contact or connection was

not there, we will not feel. So Sri Krishna says that this sparsam or connectivity

not there, we will not feel. So Sri Krishna says that this sparsam or connectivity

between the organs and the matter [composed of the five elements] happiness, sorrow, heat and cold are felt. This cannot be avoided and inevitable. Similarly, in a fight such pains are inevitable and with that knowledge Arjuna is advised to bear the sufferings. Every person will have to endure what he must . A brahmin or priest who does rituals has to observe severe austerities , suffer from hunger and thirst till the ritual is completed. Similarly what arjuna is doing is a ritual  a ritual for justice . Besides , arjuna is the son of kunti whose fore fathers were great warriors. Arjuna is the descendant of bharatha , another great warrior . Is it justified for one born in the clan of great warriors to shy from pain of war ? Hence the Lord instructs arjuna that the pain from war is to be endured as part of his duty . Even if he runs away from war , he cannot escape pain . This is because sorrow will haunt as long there is body . Until the state of liberation is reached , one will have to endure all happiness and sorrow. There is no escape till then . Such enduration will confer the greater fruit of the soul. The two different names of address given to Arjuna are also significant. To address him as Kaunteya signifies his great blood relations from his mother's side; and to address him as Bharata signifies his greatness from his father's side. From both sides he is supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.<blockquote>यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ । समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥ २-१५॥</blockquote><blockquote>yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīraṁ so ’mṛtatvāya kalpate  ॥ 2-15 ॥</blockquote>2.15. yam hi na vyatayantye:te: purusham purusharshabha | sama dukha sukham dhi:ram so~mrutatva:ya kalpate:|| " O great of men , The courageous look at their sorrow as happiness itself. One who remains unshaken by the emotions springing out of pleasure or pain is fit for eternity."In the 14th sloka, we saw that the connection with organs and elements creates sorrow or happy feelings. Every doubt expressed here is on behalf of us by Arjuna. He asks why should one bear these twins, happy and sorrow or cold and heat? By getting hurt in this fight, if we are to get any benefits we can bear that pain. Or, if it promises a better world after death also we can tolerate this pain. But the pain is unbearable here and by killing relatives and teachers only hell is assured, so this fight appears to be avoidable, says Arjuna. Arjuna questions, WHY should he bear al the pain?? Is he going to get "return" in this world for bearing the pain?? Or is he going to be benefited in a future life (swargam etc..??)? Arjuna says, he is only guaranteed Narakam by killing his elders in future and in this life he is only going to get pain. So, why should he battle?? Krishna responds : "DhIram" A DhirAm is one who remains poised , patient, unruffled under any circumstance, whether it is joy or sorrow is a true "KarmaYogi" (Dheeran!). For eg: Swami Vivekananda gives an example that a KarmaYogi is one who remains the same in Busy city market or a desert in the same way. The Courageous deem their suffering as inevitable as pleasure itself. To them the waves of pleasure and pain are unavoidable. Therefore they perform their duties assigned to them righteously without an eye on the result or fruit of such exercise. Such action , to them is a means to immortality . O Arjuna , Only a person who is unfazed by any contact, hard or soft such as those resulting from the use of weapons in war , etc; is destined to immortality . You ,being the great of your men , look unable to bear grief . This is not the behaviour of the courageous. The body is bound to perish. The soul is invincible and never loses its existence . So the wise do not grieve for the body that has been already predestined to perish. They don't grieve for the soul as its devoid of death . This much was asserted in 2.11 . The Lord further advised Arjuna in the previous verse to remain undisturbed by pleasure or pain . The reason for adopting the mental state of treating pleasure and pain equally is now put forward. The Lord describes the mental state of the courageous who have nothing to attain but immortality , and hence are not worried about pain or pleasure. And a Person who acts in such a way, is blessed with Liberation. What is this "Amrutatvaya" which Krishna refers here? It is not "Swargam" or "Narakam" (Like Arjuna fears). Liberation is beyond Swargam and Narakam i.e eternal Kaimkaryam to the Lord in Vaikuntam. Pain and Pleasure is constantly arriving and departing in life. The same thing which gives pleasure also gives pain beyond a certain point or in a different situation. eg. In Cold , we wear sweater, blanket etc , but the same blanket etc is thrown out in Summer. Similarly, foods which seems bitter, tasteless etc are normally good for health. Now, how can be a "DhIran" ?? It is the Lord's grace and one's sense of purpose to follow that path. For eg: Freedom fighters in the past bore great pain without demur, which we cannot imagine going through in normal circumstances. Why? Because, they had the great sense of purpose to sacrifice and suffer. The word purusham does not mean male, but atman. Our body is called puri and the one who is dwelling in that puri is purusha. The soul is not different for males and females. <blockquote>नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः । उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥ २-१६॥</blockquote><blockquote>nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ ubhayor api dṛṣṭo ’ntas tv anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ  ॥ 2-16 ॥</blockquote>2.16. na: Asato: vidhyate: bha:vo: ! na:Abha:vo: vidhyate: sata: | ubhayo:r api drushtah: antah: ! tu-anayo: tatva darshibhi: || Arjuna questions that why should one tolerate and be unruffled with pain and pleasure?? Krishna continues his response, by defining the nature of body and soul in great detail. In this sloka, he says that the very nature of body is changing and never constant and it is "unreal", whereas Soul is constant. Nammazhwar says in his pasuram in TiruvaayMozhi that "Min in Nila Yila, Mann uyir akaaigal ..", that compared to the body a lightning's lifespan is far better , because we all know the life span of lightning, whereas a human life is not even guaranteed that span! Azhwar also sings the same in this pasuram " Illadum uladum, alladum avanuru ...". <nowiki>**</nowiki>Please note: "Unreal" does NOT mean that the body does NOT exist. It means that the body is changing and TEMPORARY. (Advaitains interpret this unreal literally, which is not the view of Vishtadvaita). The literal meaning of anta is end. Here it means the summation or conclusion of the essential natures of sat and asat. The authoritative conclusion arrived at by elevated sages in this matter is that the nature of the physical body is asat being temporary and that the nature of the spiritual soul is sat being eternal. That which is asat is therefore known by its perishable nature and that which is sat is known by its imperishable nature. Hence it is clear that what is indicated by satva and asatva are the soul and the body. Four important terms are defined here: Sat = Atmah Asat = Body BhAvah = Constant and eternal AbhaVah = changing <nowiki>*</nowiki> na: Asato: vidhyate: bha:vo: -> Body is NOT constant and eternal (i.e it is constantly changing) <nowiki>*</nowiki> na: Abha:vo: vidhyate: sata: -> Atmah is NOT changing (it is

between the organs and the matter [composed of the five elements] happiness, sorrow, heat and cold are felt. This cannot be avoided and inevitable. Similarly, in a fight such pains are inevitable and with that knowledge Arjuna is advised to bear the sufferings. Every person will have to endure what he must . A brahmin or priest who does rituals has to observe severe austerities , suffer from hunger and thirst till the ritual is completed. Similarly what arjuna is doing is a ritual  a ritual for justice . Besides , arjuna is the son of kunti whose fore fathers were great warriors. Arjuna is the descendant of bharatha , another great warrior . Is it justified for one born in the clan of great warriors to shy from pain of war ? Hence the Lord instructs arjuna that the pain from war is to be endured as part of his duty . Even if he runs away from war , he cannot escape pain . This is because sorrow will haunt as long there is body . Until the state of liberation is reached , one will have to endure all happiness and sorrow. There is no escape till then . Such enduration will confer the greater fruit of the soul. The two different names of address given to Arjuna are also significant. To address him as Kaunteya signifies his great blood relations from his mother's side; and to address him as Bharata signifies his greatness from his father's side. From both sides he is supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.<blockquote>यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ । समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥ २-१५॥</blockquote><blockquote>yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīraṁ so ’mṛtatvāya kalpate  ॥ 2-15 ॥</blockquote>2.15. yam hi na vyatayantye:te: purusham purusharshabha | sama dukha sukham dhi:ram so~mrutatva:ya kalpate:|| " O great of men , The courageous look at their sorrow as happiness itself. One who remains unshaken by the emotions springing out of pleasure or pain is fit for eternity."In the 14th sloka, we saw that the connection with organs and elements creates sorrow or happy feelings. Every doubt expressed here is on behalf of us by Arjuna. He asks why should one bear these twins, happy and sorrow or cold and heat? By getting hurt in this fight, if we are to get any benefits we can bear that pain. Or, if it promises a better world after death also we can tolerate this pain. But the pain is unbearable here and by killing relatives and teachers only hell is assured, so this fight appears to be avoidable, says Arjuna. Arjuna questions, WHY should he bear al the pain?? Is he going to get "return" in this world for bearing the pain?? Or is he going to be benefited in a future life (swargam etc..??)? Arjuna says, he is only guaranteed Narakam by killing his elders in future and in this life he is only going to get pain. So, why should he battle?? Krishna responds : "DhIram" A DhirAm is one who remains poised , patient, unruffled under any circumstance, whether it is joy or sorrow is a true "KarmaYogi" (Dheeran!). For eg: Swami Vivekananda gives an example that a KarmaYogi is one who remains the same in Busy city market or a desert in the same way. The Courageous deem their suffering as inevitable as pleasure itself. To them the waves of pleasure and pain are unavoidable. Therefore they perform their duties assigned to them righteously without an eye on the result or fruit of such exercise. Such action , to them is a means to immortality . O Arjuna , Only a person who is unfazed by any contact, hard or soft such as those resulting from the use of weapons in war , etc; is destined to immortality . You ,being the great of your men , look unable to bear grief . This is not the behaviour of the courageous. The body is bound to perish. The soul is invincible and never loses its existence . So the wise do not grieve for the body that has been already predestined to perish. They don't grieve for the soul as its devoid of death . This much was asserted in 2.11 . The Lord further advised Arjuna in the previous verse to remain undisturbed by pleasure or pain . The reason for adopting the mental state of treating pleasure and pain equally is now put forward. The Lord describes the mental state of the courageous who have nothing to attain but immortality , and hence are not worried about pain or pleasure. And a Person who acts in such a way, is blessed with Liberation. What is this "Amrutatvaya" which Krishna refers here? It is not "Swargam" or "Narakam" (Like Arjuna fears). Liberation is beyond Swargam and Narakam i.e eternal Kaimkaryam to the Lord in Vaikuntam. Pain and Pleasure is constantly arriving and departing in life. The same thing which gives pleasure also gives pain beyond a certain point or in a different situation. eg. In Cold , we wear sweater, blanket etc , but the same blanket etc is thrown out in Summer. Similarly, foods which seems bitter, tasteless etc are normally good for health. Now, how can be a "DhIran" ?? It is the Lord's grace and one's sense of purpose to follow that path. For eg: Freedom fighters in the past bore great pain without demur, which we cannot imagine going through in normal circumstances. Why? Because, they had the great sense of purpose to sacrifice and suffer. The word purusham does not mean male, but atman. Our body is called puri and the one who is dwelling in that puri is purusha. The soul is not different for males and females. <blockquote>नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः । उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥ २-१६॥</blockquote><blockquote>nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ ubhayor api dṛṣṭo ’ntas tv anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ  ॥ 2-16 ॥</blockquote>2.16. na: Asato: vidhyate: bha:vo: ! na:Abha:vo: vidhyate: sata: | ubhayo:r api drushtah: antah: ! tu-anayo: tatva darshibhi: || Arjuna questions that why should one tolerate and be unruffled with pain and pleasure?? Krishna continues his response, by defining the nature of body and soul in great detail. In this sloka, he says that the very nature of body is changing and never constant and it is "unreal", whereas Soul is constant. Nammazhwar says in his pasuram in TiruvaayMozhi that "Min in Nila Yila, Mann uyir akaaigal ..", that compared to the body a lightning's lifespan is far better , because we all know the life span of lightning, whereas a human life is not even guaranteed that span! Azhwar also sings the same in this pasuram " Illadum uladum, alladum avanuru ...". <nowiki>**</nowiki>Please note: "Unreal" does NOT mean that the body does NOT exist. It means that the body is changing and TEMPORARY. (Advaitains interpret this unreal literally, which is not the view of Vishtadvaita). The literal meaning of anta is end. Here it means the summation or conclusion of the essential natures of sat and asat. The authoritative conclusion arrived at by elevated sages in this matter is that the nature of the physical body is asat being temporary and that the nature of the adhyatmik soul is sat being eternal. That which is asat is therefore known by its perishable nature and that which is sat is known by its imperishable nature. Hence it is clear that what is indicated by satva and asatva are the soul and the body. Four important terms are defined here: Sat = Atmah Asat = Body BhAvah = Constant and eternal AbhaVah = changing <nowiki>*</nowiki> na: Asato: vidhyate: bha:vo: -> Body is NOT constant and eternal (i.e it is constantly changing) <nowiki>*</nowiki> na: Abha:vo: vidhyate: sata: -> Atmah is NOT changing (it is

eternal). The Lord uses two Negatives here , instead of one positive. So, it's slightly confusing, but it is done to lay emphasis. <nowiki>*</nowiki>The above two truths about Body and Soul, were seen (drustah:) have been said by great seers. The property of the body is asat . It cannot be designated as sat. The property of the soul is sat and similarly it cannot be referred as asat. This is the ultimate truth as has been asserted by the word "anta:h" and has been seen by the intellects of truth or sages. Asat denotes perishability. Sat denotes constancy . Thus the conclusion drawn is this "the body is perishable , the soul is constant." Sva:mi Para:shara said , "tasma:t vigna:namruthe: kinchith kacitkada:ciddvija vastuja:tam sadbha:vam e:vam bhavato: mayo:  kto: gna:nam yatha: satyamasatyamanyata". [Meaning : "O Twice born(or brahmin) , it is a straight conclusion barring the soul there is no other quantity even in meagre measure that is free of perishability . Thus I have taught you that the soul is that which is the truth . Everything else is asatyam or devoid of constancy.] It has also been mentioned in the Vishnu pura:na "yatu ka:la:ntare:Na:pi na:naya:m

eternal). The Lord uses two Negatives here , instead of one positive. So, it's slightly confusing, but it is done to lay emphasis. <nowiki>*</nowiki>The above two truths about Body and Soul, were seen (drustah:) have been said by great seers. The property of the body is asat . It cannot be designated as sat. The property of the soul is sat and similarly it cannot be referred as asat. This is the ultimate truth as has been asserted by the word "anta:h" and has been seen by the intellects of truth or sages. Asat denotes perishability. Sat denotes constancy . Thus the conclusion drawn is this "the body is perishable , the soul is constant." Sva:mi Para:shara said , "tasma:t vigna:namruthe: kinchith kacitkada:ciddvija vastuja:tam sadbha:vam e:vam bhavato: mayo:  kto: gna:nam yatha: satyamasatyamanyata". [Meaning : "O Twice born(or brahmin) , it is a straight conclusion barring the soul there is no other quantity even in meagre measure that is free of perishability . Thus I have taught you that the soul is that which is the truth . Everything else is asatyam or devoid of constancy.] It has also been mentioned in the Vishnu pura:na "yatu ka:la:ntare:Na:pi na:naya:m

sagnya:mupaiti vai | pariNa:madi sambhu:ta:m tat vastu nrupa taccha kim ? " [Meaning: "Which is that O king , that over the periods of change undergoes no modification in terms of its identity (i.e.. it receives no names) ?"  the implication being the soul. The Lord Himself says in 2-18 , "antavanta ime: de:ha:h" [Meaning: These bodies will have an end"] and "avina:shi tu tadviddhi"[Meaning: Know that the soul is indestructible] in 2-17. To achieve something, there is always some struggle involved. To win a race, it needs practice and enduring the rigors of the race. Similarly, a woman gives birth to a child and has to endure pain, but at the end of it , she enjoys the bliss and company of the baby. For doing great in exam, students struggle but it pays off at results time. Krishna is saying the same here to Arjuna, saying even if he avoids this war, he can't escape fighting as a kshatriya. Body's very nature is change. Atma's very nature is unchanging. But how is it that the souls imperishable nature is known? The next verse states this. <blockquote>अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् । विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ॥ २-१७॥</blockquote><blockquote>avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam vināśam avyayasyāsya na kaścit kartum arhati  ॥ 2-17 ॥</blockquote>2.17. avinasi tu tad viddhi !yena sarvam idam tatam vinasam avyayas-yasya na kascit kartum arhati "That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul." Krishna explains in this sloka , why the Atma is eternal and never perishes. In the 16th sloka He told about the everlasing nature of the soul and the fleeting nature of the body. In this (17th )sloka He gives the reason for the eternity of the soul and in the 18th sloka the reasons for the perishable quality of body. In this sloka, krishna says that which pervades the body is indestructible. He refers to Soul as unperishable. No one or Nothing can destroy the soul. Why? That's the inherent nature of the soul. Note: The allusion here is that there are NUMEROUS Souls! The soul in one body is different from the soul in another body. This disputes the "Advaitic" theory of only One Soul. ANother intresting thing to note is, Krishna says only a "subtlel" element only destroys a "grosser" element and not in the reverse. For eg: An arrow or a Bullet which is Sukshmam annhilates a Sthulam eg. Man, Elephant etc. But, not the reverse. Using this logic, since Soul is the smallest atom i.e most subtle (Sukshmam), there is nothing or anybody which can perish it, so it is Eternal! THis is the reasoning Krishna mentions here to support the assertion that Soul is eternal. Know that the self in its essential nature is imperishable. The whole of insentient matter, which is different (from the self), is pervaded by the self. Because of pervasiveness and extreme subtlety, the self cannot be destroyed; for every entity other than the self is capable of being pervaded by the self, and hence they are grosser than It. Destructive agents like weapons, water, wind, fire etc., pervade the substances to be destroyed and disintegrate them. Even hammers and such other instruments rouse wind through violent contact with the objects and thereby destroy their objects. So, the essential nature of the self being subtler than anything else, It is imperishable. Agents like fire , water or wind pervade the substances and cause destruction. Striking objects are guided by force cutting the air . Destruction is caused by forces which are subtle essentially. The destroyed objects are gross and manifest.So for destruction to be effected , the destroying agent must be subtler than the object destroyed. The soul is subtler than everything else . Hence it is free of destruction. That is, only sookshmam [minute] will destroy sthoolam [enormity] and as a corollary sthoolam can never destroy sookshmam. Since atman is the tiniest and there is nothing else smaller than atman, it cannot be destroyed. Let us examine the veracity of this Law. A stout rod destroys a small earthen pot. Apparently,it is contrary to the law mentioned now in that the bigger rod destroyed the smaller pot. But actually, the enormity has not destroyed the pot. If that was true then a big bundle of cotton if thrown on the pot should have broken the pot. Similarly, if the rod were just kept on the pot, the pot remains without breaking. So a massive rod alone is not responsible for breaking the pot. Even a throw cannot break the pot as we saw throwing cotton bundle could not break it. So it is seen that a rod and a force are needed to break the pot. This is also not enough. If the pot were at one place and if we swipe the rod with force at another place, the pot will not break. Because a contact between the rod and pot is essential to break the pot. So, we can now conclude that to break a pot, a mass, a force and a contact are needed. Science tells that mass and velocity [or acceleration] produce force or power and this in a minute form acts at the contact point to destroy. We can remember the famous equation E [energy]= m [mass] Xc*2 [velocity]. Thus the law is observed to be true. An invisible minute power destroyed the pot. That is why Sri Krishna says that atman without a smaller entity being available, can never be destroyed. The soul is described as one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair point in size. The Svetasvatara Upanisad confirms this: balagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantyaya kalpate "When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul." (Svet. 5.9) In the Mundaka Upanisad the measurement of the atomic spirit soul is further explained: eso 'nur atma cetasa veditavyo yasmin pranah pancadha samvivesa pranais cittam sarvam otam prajanam yasmin visuddhe vibhavaty esa atma "The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air [prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana], is situated within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited." (Mund. 3.1.9) In Tatparya Chandrikai, Swami Desikan says that it's true that Jeevatma is more subtle and Sukshmamam and nothing can destroy it. But, isn't Paramaatma is more subtle (Sukshmam) than Jeevatma. Shastras says that Paramaatma is " Anoraniyan, MahatoMaHiyaan, Atmauhaayaam ...". So, can't Paramatma be the reason for destroying Jeevatma?? Atleast potentially ? (Remember the analogy: SimCard is the atma and Cellphone is the body; Next, with just Simcard, cell phone will not work; It needs to catch signal from Tower to work. Tower is similar to Paramatma. Though in this case, the paramatma is inside Jeevatma and not outside. Another example: Injection. Inserting a needle inside the body is required to put the medicine inside the body. Similarly the needle is like Jeevatma and the medicine inside needle is the Paramatma.) Nammazhwar says "Udal Misai Uyir Enna, Karand Engum Parand Ulan ....", which confirms that Paramatma is inside every Jeevatma. Now the question arises, can't Paramatma destroy Jeevatma ?? This causes a dilemma ! If we say, Paramatma can destroy Jeevatma, then it negates the fact that Jeevatma is indestructible! But, if we say Paramatma cannot destroy Jeevatma, then it negates the fact that Paramatma is "Sarva Shakti" (attributes of Bhagavan). Swami Desikan says that "Paramatma" definitely has the capability to destroy "Jeevatma", since he is Bhagavan. But, Paramatama has taken "Sankalpam" NOT to destroy Jeevatma. {Satyam Satyam Punah Satyam! Udbrhishta Bhujam Uchyateh!... )<blockquote>अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः । अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥ २-१८॥</blockquote><blockquote>antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ anāśino ’prameyasya tasmād yudhyasva bhārata ॥ 2-18 ॥</blockquote>In the last slo:ka , it was clearly established that the soul is to be eternal . In this slo:ka it is being ascertained on the pillars of the holy scriptures that the body which houses the soul is inherently prone to destruction . Basically the arguments in this slo:ka and the last are soul-centric. While the last slo:ka explains the soul's nature of being undestroyed , this one puts across a view of contrasting the eternal nature of soul with the property of destruction inherently dwelling in the body . Hence the Lord advises , "Grieve not . Fight!" (The Lord) now says that the bodies are perishable and the reason for it. The very nature of Body is perishable. He gives three reasons for it in this sloka. The immeasurable (aprameyasya) and

sagnya:mupaiti vai | pariNa:madi sambhu:ta:m tat vastu nrupa taccha kim ? " [Meaning: "Which is that O king , that over the periods of change undergoes no modification in terms of its identity (i.e.. it receives no names) ?"  the implication being the soul. The Lord Himself says in 2-18 , "antavanta ime: de:ha:h" [Meaning: These bodies will have an end"] and "avina:shi tu tadviddhi"[Meaning: Know that the soul is indestructible] in 2-17. To achieve something, there is always some struggle involved. To win a race, it needs practice and enduring the rigors of the race. Similarly, a woman gives birth to a child and has to endure pain, but at the end of it , she enjoys the bliss and company of the baby. For doing great in exam, students struggle but it pays off at results time. Krishna is saying the same here to Arjuna, saying even if he avoids this war, he can't escape fighting as a kshatriya. Body's very nature is change. Atma's very nature is unchanging. But how is it that the souls imperishable nature is known? The next verse states this. <blockquote>अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् । विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ॥ २-१७॥</blockquote><blockquote>avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam vināśam avyayasyāsya na kaścit kartum arhati  ॥ 2-17 ॥</blockquote>2.17. avinasi tu tad viddhi !yena sarvam idam tatam vinasam avyayas-yasya na kascit kartum arhati "That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul." Krishna explains in this sloka , why the Atma is eternal and never perishes. In the 16th sloka He told about the everlasing nature of the soul and the fleeting nature of the body. In this (17th )sloka He gives the reason for the eternity of the soul and in the 18th sloka the reasons for the perishable quality of body. In this sloka, krishna says that which pervades the body is indestructible. He refers to Soul as unperishable. No one or Nothing can destroy the soul. Why? That's the inherent nature of the soul. Note: The allusion here is that there are NUMEROUS Souls! The soul in one body is different from the soul in another body. This disputes the "Advaitic" theory of only One Soul. ANother intresting thing to note is, Krishna says only a "subtlel" element only destroys a "grosser" element and not in the reverse. For eg: An arrow or a Bullet which is Sukshmam annhilates a Sthulam eg. Man, Elephant etc. But, not the reverse. Using this logic, since Soul is the smallest atom i.e most subtle (Sukshmam), there is nothing or anybody which can perish it, so it is Eternal! THis is the reasoning Krishna mentions here to support the assertion that Soul is eternal. Know that the self in its essential nature is imperishable. The whole of insentient matter, which is different (from the self), is pervaded by the self. Because of pervasiveness and extreme subtlety, the self cannot be destroyed; for every entity other than the self is capable of being pervaded by the self, and hence they are grosser than It. Destructive agents like weapons, water, wind, fire etc., pervade the substances to be destroyed and disintegrate them. Even hammers and such other instruments rouse wind through violent contact with the objects and thereby destroy their objects. So, the essential nature of the self being subtler than anything else, It is imperishable. Agents like fire , water or wind pervade the substances and cause destruction. Striking objects are guided by force cutting the air . Destruction is caused by forces which are subtle essentially. The destroyed objects are gross and manifest.So for destruction to be effected , the destroying agent must be subtler than the object destroyed. The soul is subtler than everything else . Hence it is free of destruction. That is, only sookshmam [minute] will destroy sthoolam [enormity] and as a corollary sthoolam can never destroy sookshmam. Since atman is the tiniest and there is nothing else smaller than atman, it cannot be destroyed. Let us examine the veracity of this Law. A stout rod destroys a small earthen pot. Apparently,it is contrary to the law mentioned now in that the bigger rod destroyed the smaller pot. But actually, the enormity has not destroyed the pot. If that was true then a big bundle of cotton if thrown on the pot should have broken the pot. Similarly, if the rod were just kept on the pot, the pot remains without breaking. So a massive rod alone is not responsible for breaking the pot. Even a throw cannot break the pot as we saw throwing cotton bundle could not break it. So it is seen that a rod and a force are needed to break the pot. This is also not enough. If the pot were at one place and if we swipe the rod with force at another place, the pot will not break. Because a contact between the rod and pot is essential to break the pot. So, we can now conclude that to break a pot, a mass, a force and a contact are needed. Science tells that mass and velocity [or acceleration] produce force or power and this in a minute form acts at the contact point to destroy. We can remember the famous equation E [energy]= m [mass] Xc*2 [velocity]. Thus the law is observed to be true. An invisible minute power destroyed the pot. That is why Sri Krishna says that atman without a smaller entity being available, can never be destroyed. The soul is described as one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair point in size. The Svetasvatara Upanisad confirms this: balagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantyaya kalpate "When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul." (Svet. 5.9) In the Mundaka Upanisad the measurement of the atomic spirit soul is further explained: eso 'nur atma cetasa veditavyo yasmin pranah pancadha samvivesa pranais cittam sarvam otam prajanam yasmin visuddhe vibhavaty esa atma "The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air [prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana], is situated within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its adhyatmik influence is exhibited." (Mund. 3.1.9) In Tatparya Chandrikai, Swami Desikan says that it's true that Jeevatma is more subtle and Sukshmamam and nothing can destroy it. But, isn't Paramaatma is more subtle (Sukshmam) than Jeevatma. Shastras says that Paramaatma is " Anoraniyan, MahatoMaHiyaan, Atmauhaayaam ...". So, can't Paramatma be the reason for destroying Jeevatma?? Atleast potentially ? (Remember the analogy: SimCard is the atma and Cellphone is the body; Next, with just Simcard, cell phone will not work; It needs to catch signal from Tower to work. Tower is similar to Paramatma. Though in this case, the paramatma is inside Jeevatma and not outside. Another example: Injection. Inserting a needle inside the body is required to put the medicine inside the body. Similarly the needle is like Jeevatma and the medicine inside needle is the Paramatma.) Nammazhwar says "Udal Misai Uyir Enna, Karand Engum Parand Ulan ....", which confirms that Paramatma is inside every Jeevatma. Now the question arises, can't Paramatma destroy Jeevatma ?? This causes a dilemma ! If we say, Paramatma can destroy Jeevatma, then it negates the fact that Jeevatma is indestructible! But, if we say Paramatma cannot destroy Jeevatma, then it negates the fact that Paramatma is "Sarva Shakti" (attributes of Bhagavan). Swami Desikan says that "Paramatma" definitely has the capability to destroy "Jeevatma", since he is Bhagavan. But, Paramatama has taken "Sankalpam" NOT to destroy Jeevatma. {Satyam Satyam Punah Satyam! Udbrhishta Bhujam Uchyateh!... )<blockquote>अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः । अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥ २-१८॥</blockquote><blockquote>antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ anāśino ’prameyasya tasmād yudhyasva bhārata ॥ 2-18 ॥</blockquote>In the last slo:ka , it was clearly established that the soul is to be eternal . In this slo:ka it is being ascertained on the pillars of the holy scriptures that the body which houses the soul is inherently prone to destruction . Basically the arguments in this slo:ka and the last are soul-centric. While the last slo:ka explains the soul's nature of being undestroyed , this one puts across a view of contrasting the eternal nature of soul with the property of destruction inherently dwelling in the body . Hence the Lord advises , "Grieve not . Fight!" (The Lord) now says that the bodies are perishable and the reason for it. The very nature of Body is perishable. He gives three reasons for it in this sloka. The immeasurable (aprameyasya) and

indestructible(aNasinah) soul(Sari:riNah) gets a perishable (anta-vantah) body (deha:h) as per it's Karmas. The Soul is eternal (Nityasya). Note: Immeasurable i.e aPrameyasya means something which cannot be comprehended or measured (Prameyam is something we can imagine or comprehend). Ime -> all these i.e which we can see. What? This is the PanchaBhootam out of which Body is made. Anything which is made of panchaBhootam is destructible (eg: take example of Upma, which is a mixture of salt, water, flour etc and has a lifespan of just a day, compared to years of the salt, water, flour etc individually). Whereas, Soul is made of Gnaanam and is eternal. dehAh -> Upachayam (grown) and Apachayam(dimimish). Body is subject to growth and decay. Body has external features like legs, hands,eyes, ears, nose etc, unlike Atma. Atma is sukshmam and is unchanged. The term deha meaning body is derived from the word dih meaning to increase and correspondingly those bodies having increase must also have decrease and therefore are of a perishable nature. The elements combine to form the body dictated by karma ato render service to the imperishable soul to enable the living entity to experience the positive and negative fruits of their actions. In the Brihad- aranyaka Upanisad it is stated: by accruring merit one becomes meritorious. A living entity is forced to accept a body only until all ones positive and negative karma is exhausted and then the physical body is no longer bound to exist in the physical plane. Sareerinah(Jeevatma), Sarirah(Body) -> Sareeram is by it's very nature subject to decay, because it's purpose to exhaust the good and bad karmas of Jeevatma. The body is called de:ha , Sari:ra etc; This principally qualifies that the body is composed of parts . As it is composed of parts , destruction or damage of individual parts means destruction of body. Further , the body is understood to be composed of five elements . As new matter cannot be created from nothingness , its the elements that have transformed into body . To rediscover the elements , its only imperative that the body shed into its elements . Hence , the passing existence of the body is beyond doubt or debate . Sari:riNah denotes the proprietor of the body , that is the soul . A man owns his house. His house could be quite strong or weak, tall or small , vast or compact . If there are holes on the roof of his house , he suffers during rain . Otherwise , he comfortably protects himself . The house , depending on its nature decided the comfort or trouble of its owner. Similarly the body decides the pleasure or pain of the soul .The soul dwells in the body. The bodies are different because of the differences in good or bad actions (karma) of the indwelling soul. Accordingly the soul begets the good or bad results stemming out of his actions through the body. As it is understood that the body is merely an enclosure for the soul , that provides pain or pleasure in accordance to the soul's karma , its again inferred easily that the body cannot exist for ever. It will cease to exist once the pleasure or pain that was consigned to it , to be conferred upon the soul are all exhausted. Hence , it can be concluded that the body is of temporal existence. The body is therefore of transient existence as it is 1.composed of parts (Posseses organs, limbs etc) 2.macroscopic allowing further addition of macroscopic objects like food to enter it ( its not eternal or permanent and its composition is often altered) 3.built or transformed from the five elements (Pancha Bhootam ) 4.only an enclosure for serving on the soul the fruits of pain or pleasure consigned to it. (Vehicle to perform karma) But the soul is eternal because it is 1.not composed of parts 2.not pervaded or added by other macroscopic material 3.a unit in itself and not built from elements (it is pure Gyaana only) 4. the real sufferer/enjoyer of cycles of pain and pleasure through the body (beneficiary of karma) Whatever part of the body falls or decays , the soul remains the same . The cognition of 'I' is independent of the body. Whether the body is put to disease or disability , the 'I' factor always remains unaltered. Pain is sensed in the hand or leg etc; when it comes to body level. But talking at the level of soul , there is no headache of soul or legsore . The soul suffers as a unit . It is not built on any parts. It cannot be transformed into anything new. The conscious is eternal , irrespective of the nature or the state of the body. Experience may come in different forms but ultimately its the 'I' , that forms the focal point of all experience. What is cognized as 'I' is the soul. So, in summary, the three main differences between Jeevatma and Body is that Body is made of PANCHABOOTAMS, Body has external attributes, Body's purpose to exhaust the Karma of the Jeevatma, whereas Soul is "Jnaanam", is "sukshamam". (In the 17th sloka, Krishna reasoned that Atma is Nityam because its is Sukshmam(subtle) and Pervasive. In the 18th sloka, he reasons that Body is temporary because it's made of PanchaBhootas, is a vehicle to exhaust Karma and is subject to change i.e growth and decay. So, in summary, Atma is eternal and Body is temporary). Going by the science elucidated above , its clear that it is not just that the soul is eternal , it "alone" is . The body is bound to perish. So the eternal of eternals , the Lord tells Arjuna , " Your grief is unjustified on any account . Rise and fight." Now a question arises on why Krishna has to go to such depths to explain the temporary nature of the Body. It's well known that Body is temporary and decayable by common observation. However, it is not so and there are reasons to make this much of effort to say. Firstly, atman is not perishable like Him, the Paramatma. This is affirmative comparison. In a negative comparison, the atman is not like the body, which perishes. So, to establish the superiority of atman, destructible body is compared. Just as we come across dos and don ts in our daily  life, two types of examples were needed to show the indestructible quality of atman and so comparison with body was necessary. Krishna does so to emphasize that even if Arjuna doesn't battle, the demise of body of his opposition is anyway foregone. Next, krishna also says this to people who are worried about their continued misery, saying the bodily misery is temporary and we have to do our duty. Another reason is, it's a sign for people who spend lot of time and money decorating themselves in a artificial sense and Krishna says irrespective of all the "alankaram" being done to body, it's just artificial and doesn't change it's temporary nature. Importantly, by understanding that body is temporary, Krishna wants us to build "Vairagyam" (Detachment), knowing that Soul is permanent.<blockquote>य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥ २-१९॥</blockquote><blockquote>ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaś cainaṁ manyate hatam ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate ॥ 2-19 ॥</blockquote>There is nothing or anybody which can destroy a soul. A soul cannot be killed nor is there anything which can destroy a soul. Thus a Soul is eternal. The two types of people, i.e one who thinks there is something which kills this Atma or that Soul gets killed, are ignorant. Whoever doesn't understand this, doesn't have true knowledge. Now, a moral dilemma arises. In shastras, there are statements which advices us not to treat and kill other Jeevas (animals, humans, trees etc Na Himsyaat Sarva BhutaanI). But, here Krishna says that a Soul can never be destroyed or killed by anybody or anything. Isn't it contradictory? Does the Shastras means "Body" shouldn't be injured and not refers to Soul? Not really, since after the soul leaves the body, body perishes by itself. The reason is, when Shastras warn us not to mistreat or harm other creatures, it means that we shouldn't "separate" a body and it's soul, because we have no right to do it!! (source: Katavalli Upanishad). We may think, perhaps the shastras only ask us not to kill the bodies of other creatures. When Veda says cow slaughter should be avoided, does it mean the body of the cow should not be hurt? This is also not correct. Because, when someone dies, the body is cremated by igniting fire to the body. None calls this as himsa or hurting. So the shastras instruct us not to harm a body which is living or when the soul is inside. Therefore, the implication is that one should not cause maranam [death]. Maranam means mruth prana thyagena. That is separation of atman from the body and the Vedas advise us not to do this separation. So, the correct interpretation of the shastras is that, we are not authorized to separate the soul from the body. Conclusion: 1.The scriptures don't talk of destroying the body alone.(dead body) 2. The scriptures ban unrighteous separation of soul from body. This is called non-violence theory or policy of ahimsa. 3. In case of situations like righteous war, the scriptures allow the action of separaton of soul from body. This is only to establish righteousness . As the soul is indestructible and cannot be destroyed by any agent, its ignorance to think that one can destroy the "very existence" itself even in righteous actions like war. The soul continues to exist even after the action of "killing" known to the world. <blockquote>न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥२- २०॥</blockquote><blockquote>na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ॥ 2-20 ॥</blockquote>"For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He was not born at the time of kalpa, does not disappear at the end of kalpa. He is unborn, eternal, unchanging and very ancient. He is not slain when the body is slain." The soul never takes birth or dies. The soul is unborn , beyond destruction , without any changes in their intrinsic state and remains FRESH even after being many ages old. It is not formed at the beginning of creation and it is not destroyed at the end of this world. The soul remains even as the body perishes. Soul is -> "ajah:" (unborn), "Nitya:"(eternal), "Sasvatah:"(not subject to modification), "Puranah" (pura-apinavah: -> always fresh;-) ), forever(kadacit). The word purana means ancient. Etymologically it stems from purapi navah meaning old yet new illustrating that the eternal soul although ancient is experienced with every birth as ever new. Thus it has been clarified that the physical body only perishes but never can the eternal soul perish. The 17th sloka dealt with the reasoning that since there is not a smaller entity than the atman, it is indestructible. In the 18th sloka, since the body was a composite of the five elements and since it was growing and waning, it is destroyable. In the 19th sloka, it was told that he, who does not understand this true nature of atman and body, is not a wise man. Having stated so, now in the 20th sloka, Sri Krishna establishes that atman does not undergo any changes whatsoever. In this slokam, Krishna says that Soul is not only eternal and indestructible, but it is not subject to any change, at ANY time. This is to address the doubt Arjuna had on whether the Soul was "indestructible and not subject to change", just now or in last 1000 years and probably it has a "manufacturing and expiry" date?. Krishna says emphatically that soul is "ALWAYS" eternal, unborn, without death and unchanging. Now, we will have a doubt. In shastras, it is mentioned that the lifespan of a human is less than Devas , which is less than Brahma etc.. (eg: 1 human year is equal to 1 day for deva). 4 Yugas = 4,320,000 years * 1000 is the span of Brahma for one kalpa, when Shrusti and Pralayam takes place. Krishna says here, that Soul is never born or dead during any of this times, whether it is Shrusthi, Pralayam, Kalpa or a human life span!! Now, another question arises, since the souls are eternal, are we Paramatma?? No, Jeevatmas are separate from Paramatma. Due to ignorance and material contact, we have lost this true knowledge. Based on our karmas, the soul takes bodies accordingly. In an inanimate object, also soul exists, but it has no way to increase it's understanding. Beyond, inanimate objects is trees, then animals, then human, then devas etc. When it acheives true knowledge, it reaches "paramapadam" to live eternally with Paramatma. Each of this body, gives the soul a potential to gain the true nature of itself. Soul is not subject to the six types of change, like body! But, intrestingly, even though Soul is eternal, it appears to be changing as per the body it takes.It's similar to we wearing different types and colors of dresses every day! Even though we are the same person, our external appearance seems to change as per the dress we wear! This Self (Atman) is destitute of the six types of transformation or Bhava-Vikaras such as birth, existence, growth, transformation, decline and death. As It is indivisible (Akhanda). It does not diminish in size. It neither grows nor does It decline. It is ever the same. Birth and death are for the physical body only. Birth and death cannot touch the immortal, all-pervading Self. The understanding that the eternal soul is never slain is being confirmed by its freedom from the six changes of material existence being: birth, existence, growth, modification, decay and death which are controlling all living entities high and low in the material existence. The Supreme Lord by declaring the eternal soul is not born confirms the absence of any birth and by declaring the eternal soul does not die confirms the absence of any destruction. The word va occurring twice is used in the sense of and as in and the immortal soul does not come into existence by birth. The immortal soul is already by nature itself eternal. So existence by conception is proven false due to the fact the eternal soul is birthless. That which is conceived attains existence after birth; but that which already eternally exists by its own nature cannot be conceived again. This is the purport of this verse. Constant means not subject to modification. This confirms the absence of growth. Eternal confirms the absence of decay. Ancient confirms the absence of ageing ever beyond time the eternal soul is ageless. Thus there is never a repetition regarding the existence of the eternal soul and the six changes of the physical of birth, existence, growth, modification, decay and death mentioned by Yaksa and other expounders of the Vedic scriptures as to the nature of things in this world never is applicable to the eternal soul which factually every living entity born from a womb possesses. The imperishable nature of the soul and the fact that the six changes of the physical body have no influence on it which is the topic presently under discussion has now been satisfactorily concluded and so it is confirmed that the eternal soul does not perish when the body perishes. In the Katha Upanisad also we find a similar passage which reads: na jayate mriyate va vipascin nayam kutascin na vibhuva kascit ajo nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire (Katha 1.2.18) The meaning and purport of this verse is the same as in the Bhagavad-gita, but here in this verse there is one special word, vipascit, which means learned or with knowledge. The soul is full of knowledge, or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the symptom of the soul. Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness. Sometimes we do not find the sun in the sky owing to clouds, or for some other reason, but the light of the sun is always there, and we are convinced that it is therefore daytime. As soon as there is a little light in the sky early in the morning, we can understand that the sun is in the sky. Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all bodies--whether man or animal--we can understand the presence of the soul. This consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge--past, present and future. The consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Krsna. The soul is full of knowledge, or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the symptom of the soul. Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness. Sometimes we do not find the sun in the sky owing to clouds, or for some other reason, but the light of the sun is always there, and we are convinced that it is therefore daytime. As soon as there is a little light in the sky early in the morning, we can understand that the sun is in the sky. Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all bodies--whether man or animal--we can understand the presence of the soul. This consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge--past, present and future. The consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Krsna. The great deluge [pralayam] is called kalpa. At the start of the kalpa, Brahma creates everything in this Universe. At that time also the atman is not created. Nor the atmans perish at the end of a kalpa. When a child is born, at that time an atman chooses that body and is born. Atman is there in everything. It is in this plant and in that pillar. One may wonder how atman can be in those inanimate objects. But if we examine closely, even our body is inanimate and we know atman is there. So, there is atman in all materials also. The only difference is that the atman in our body can develop his knowledge while, the atman in the pillar has no scope for wisdom. The atman in that pillar is there to expend the karma he had acquired and the moment that is over, that atman will depart that pillar and reside in another body. The magnitude of the wisdom of the atman in any body is determined by its past karma. If the wisdom is, let us say, 0%, it resides in an inanimate body like pillar. A slightly higher intellectual makes the soul to take a bird s body or animal s body. More wisdom makes the soul to take    bodies of human beings or devas or even a Brahma. So the ranking of the knowledge decides the body that soul will be residing. The up and down in gyana or wisdom is only found in atmans. Once, the soul has taken a body, he tries to develop his wisdom and seek a higher level and ultimately, resides in the Sri Vaikuntam or His abode from where there is no more return for the atman to lower planes like this earth. Thus atman is eternal and never undergoes any change. Sri Krishna calls atman as purana. Pura api navaha puranaha is the Sanskrit meaning for the word purana. It means to say that it is very ancient and at the same time fresh or novel. Atman also is ancient but appears fresh everyday. It is common knowledge that we seek changes so as to avoid monotonous, which can be boring and dull. We rearrange our surroundings. We change our dress. So Arjuna feels that an unchanging and static atman might cause boredom. Sri Krishna allays such thoughts and says that atman is fresh everyday with more and better knowledge. This is a greatness of atman that though he is changeless, he appears afresh every time. Like Sri Aravamudan of Thirukkudanthai [Kumbakonam], Alwar says, every time he visits Him, he finds Him revealing Himself differently. We listen to Sri Ramayana. But every time we listen it refreshes our knowledge. So He now tells Arjuna that by killing Bheeshma, he will not kill the atman of Bheeshma. <blockquote>वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ॥२- २१॥</blockquote><blockquote>vedāvināśinaṁ nityaṁ ya enam ajam avyayam kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam ॥ 2-21॥</blockquote>O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or encourage anyone to kill?" Tirumangai Azhwar says in Thirunedundantakam - Munuru(Achit), Pinuru(Jeevatma,Chit), Ponuru (Paramatma). " .. Irrapaturuku enathu!". Paramatma is embedded inside every Jeevatma and Jeevatma is in every material body. One who knows the true nature of soul is eternal understands that he cannot destroy or kill anybody, nor will be make an attempt to kill. Krishna says this to Arjuna to ensure that if he knows this truth, he will understand that he cannot kill Bhishma, Drona etc. Atma is inside Shareeram, temporarily. Soul is "AJAM" (unborn, unchanging)., NITYAM(eternal), AVINASINAM (indestructible), "AVYAYAM" (unchangeable). Whoever realises this gnaanam (i.e a soul is unborn, eternal, indestructible), CANNOT kill anybody and neither will he even attempt to kill i.e "Katam cha purushah paartha!". There are two types of Tattvam - ParaaDarsham, PratyaDarsham. Achit (Lamp, Stone etc) are all Paraaa Darsham. Whereas, human, animal etc is all "PratyaDarsham", because we all have the feeling of "I" (self), which is "Self-illuminating". So possessing spiritual intelligence, knowing the soul to be eternal, understanding it to be birthless and deathless being of an inexhaustible nature how is it possible for anyone to commit any act of destruction against the immortal soul which dwells in trillions of various and diverse living entities among the 8 million 400 thousand species of life throughout the billions of material universes. Whom can anyone destroy? How can anyone destroy anyone? Who can cause anyone to be destroyed? No one can! Thus it can be seen that ignorance of the eternal nature of the soul is the cause of all grief by not understanding that the soul is immortal and thinking that the eternal soul perishes when the physical body perishes. Comprehending that what happens to the immortal soul when the physical body ceases to function is factually the withdrawal from an old physical body to enter into a new physical body. So it can be understood that those who have deep regret for the loss of the physical body, serving as it does as the facility for securing and enjoying material pleasures; these living entities should reflect on the futility and temporal nature of material existence rather than trying to eternally exploit their senses. Yaksha poses this question to DharmaPutram in Mahabharat - "What is the most wonderful-AAshcharyam thing in this world" ?? Yudishtra replies that "even though this body has 9 holes, the Jeevatma doesn't fly away and still resides in this body!.. that is the most amazing thing in this world" . Body is "NavaDwara Pura patnam". Yaksha poses another question : "What is even more amazing"? Yudishtra replies that "Seeing so many people die also, a person still thinks he is going to live forever. For eg: Even the pallbearers plan to make a living by carrying dead!". So it is very difficult to come to that realization that the atman is everlasting and the body only perishes. <blockquote>वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि । तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णान्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥२- २२॥</blockquote><blockquote>vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro ’parāṇi tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāny anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī ॥ 2-22॥</blockquote>"As a person puts on new garments, giving up used up ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." Arjuna has a doubt now, after hearing Krishna mentioning that Atma is Nityam, Indestructible etc , body is temporary and will fall and that one has to bear the pain to achieve the goal. But, human has an attachment by nature with his body, due to the association of being in it. It's natural! So, isn't it normal to show attachment to a body which has given us company throughout the life and not show any dukham to it's demise or destruction?? In response Krishna mentions that Slokam. He says that rather than showing Dukham at the demise of the body, one should express joy! He says, just like a man wears new garments and throws off worn out garments, similarly the Jeevatma casts off one body and takes another. So, isn't it a cause for joy rather than sorrow? So, rather than feeling sorrow of casting away old body and taking new, it should be joyous occasion. In Taittraya Upanishad " Yuvasya .. athisthio... Maanusha Anandah", it says that Youth is the ultimate fountainhead of happiness for human life and when this body has overlasted it's usefulness, so isn't it a joy to shed it? Now, Arjuna had another doubt - If at the end of this life, one gets a worst body e.g. animal etc due to past karmas, isn't it a scary thought? i.e if one gets to wear rags, it would be preferable to wear an old shirt, rather than shedding it and wearing a rag. Krishna says that, Arjuna need not fear, since he is fighting a battle doing his Kshatriya duty and even if he perishes in the battle, he is assured of swargam. So, he need not worry about the next life. Transference of the atomic individual soul to another body is made possible by the grace of the Supersoul. The Supersoul fulfills the desire of the atomic soul as one friend fulfills the desire of another. The Vedas, like the Mundaka Upanisad, as well as the Svetasvatara Upanisad, compare the soul and the Supersoul to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird (Krsna) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds--although they are the same in quality-- one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing the activities of His friend. Krsna is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is the eating bird. Although they are friends, one is still the master and the other is the servant. Forgetfulness of this relationship by the atomic soul is the

indestructible(aNasinah) soul(Sari:riNah) gets a perishable (anta-vantah) body (deha:h) as per it's Karmas. The Soul is eternal (Nityasya). Note: Immeasurable i.e aPrameyasya means something which cannot be comprehended or measured (Prameyam is something we can imagine or comprehend). Ime -> all these i.e which we can see. What? This is the PanchaBhootam out of which Body is made. Anything which is made of panchaBhootam is destructible (eg: take example of Upma, which is a mixture of salt, water, flour etc and has a lifespan of just a day, compared to years of the salt, water, flour etc individually). Whereas, Soul is made of Gnaanam and is eternal. dehAh -> Upachayam (grown) and Apachayam(dimimish). Body is subject to growth and decay. Body has external features like legs, hands,eyes, ears, nose etc, unlike Atma. Atma is sukshmam and is unchanged. The term deha meaning body is derived from the word dih meaning to increase and correspondingly those bodies having increase must also have decrease and therefore are of a perishable nature. The elements combine to form the body dictated by karma ato render service to the imperishable soul to enable the living entity to experience the positive and negative fruits of their actions. In the Brihad- aranyaka Upanisad it is stated: by accruring merit one becomes meritorious. A living entity is forced to accept a body only until all ones positive and negative karma is exhausted and then the physical body is no longer bound to exist in the physical plane. Sareerinah(Jeevatma), Sarirah(Body) -> Sareeram is by it's very nature subject to decay, because it's purpose to exhaust the good and bad karmas of Jeevatma. The body is called de:ha , Sari:ra etc; This principally qualifies that the body is composed of parts . As it is composed of parts , destruction or damage of individual parts means destruction of body. Further , the body is understood to be composed of five elements . As new matter cannot be created from nothingness , its the elements that have transformed into body . To rediscover the elements , its only imperative that the body shed into its elements . Hence , the passing existence of the body is beyond doubt or debate . Sari:riNah denotes the proprietor of the body , that is the soul . A man owns his house. His house could be quite strong or weak, tall or small , vast or compact . If there are holes on the roof of his house , he suffers during rain . Otherwise , he comfortably protects himself . The house , depending on its nature decided the comfort or trouble of its owner. Similarly the body decides the pleasure or pain of the soul .The soul dwells in the body. The bodies are different because of the differences in good or bad actions (karma) of the indwelling soul. Accordingly the soul begets the good or bad results stemming out of his actions through the body. As it is understood that the body is merely an enclosure for the soul , that provides pain or pleasure in accordance to the soul's karma , its again inferred easily that the body cannot exist for ever. It will cease to exist once the pleasure or pain that was consigned to it , to be conferred upon the soul are all exhausted. Hence , it can be concluded that the body is of temporal existence. The body is therefore of transient existence as it is 1.composed of parts (Posseses organs, limbs etc) 2.macroscopic allowing further addition of macroscopic objects like food to enter it ( its not eternal or permanent and its composition is often altered) 3.built or transformed from the five elements (Pancha Bhootam ) 4.only an enclosure for serving on the soul the fruits of pain or pleasure consigned to it. (Vehicle to perform karma) But the soul is eternal because it is 1.not composed of parts 2.not pervaded or added by other macroscopic material 3.a unit in itself and not built from elements (it is pure Gyaana only) 4. the real sufferer/enjoyer of cycles of pain and pleasure through the body (beneficiary of karma) Whatever part of the body falls or decays , the soul remains the same . The cognition of 'I' is independent of the body. Whether the body is put to disease or disability , the 'I' factor always remains unaltered. Pain is sensed in the hand or leg etc; when it comes to body level. But talking at the level of soul , there is no headache of soul or legsore . The soul suffers as a unit . It is not built on any parts. It cannot be transformed into anything new. The conscious is eternal , irrespective of the nature or the state of the body. Experience may come in different forms but ultimately its the 'I' , that forms the focal point of all experience. What is cognized as 'I' is the soul. So, in summary, the three main differences between Jeevatma and Body is that Body is made of PANCHABOOTAMS, Body has external attributes, Body's purpose to exhaust the Karma of the Jeevatma, whereas Soul is "Jnaanam", is "sukshamam". (In the 17th sloka, Krishna reasoned that Atma is Nityam because its is Sukshmam(subtle) and Pervasive. In the 18th sloka, he reasons that Body is temporary because it's made of PanchaBhootas, is a vehicle to exhaust Karma and is subject to change i.e growth and decay. So, in summary, Atma is eternal and Body is temporary). Going by the science elucidated above , its clear that it is not just that the soul is eternal , it "alone" is . The body is bound to perish. So the eternal of eternals , the Lord tells Arjuna , " Your grief is unjustified on any account . Rise and fight." Now a question arises on why Krishna has to go to such depths to explain the temporary nature of the Body. It's well known that Body is temporary and decayable by common observation. However, it is not so and there are reasons to make this much of effort to say. Firstly, atman is not perishable like Him, the Paramatma. This is affirmative comparison. In a negative comparison, the atman is not like the body, which perishes. So, to establish the superiority of atman, destructible body is compared. Just as we come across dos and don ts in our daily  life, two types of examples were needed to show the indestructible quality of atman and so comparison with body was necessary. Krishna does so to emphasize that even if Arjuna doesn't battle, the demise of body of his opposition is anyway foregone. Next, krishna also says this to people who are worried about their continued misery, saying the bodily misery is temporary and we have to do our duty. Another reason is, it's a sign for people who spend lot of time and money decorating themselves in a artificial sense and Krishna says irrespective of all the "alankaram" being done to body, it's just artificial and doesn't change it's temporary nature. Importantly, by understanding that body is temporary, Krishna wants us to build "Vairagyam" (Detachment), knowing that Soul is permanent.<blockquote>य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥ २-१९॥</blockquote><blockquote>ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaś cainaṁ manyate hatam ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate ॥ 2-19 ॥</blockquote>There is nothing or anybody which can destroy a soul. A soul cannot be killed nor is there anything which can destroy a soul. Thus a Soul is eternal. The two types of people, i.e one who thinks there is something which kills this Atma or that Soul gets killed, are ignorant. Whoever doesn't understand this, doesn't have true knowledge. Now, a moral dilemma arises. In shastras, there are statements which advices us not to treat and kill other Jeevas (animals, humans, trees etc Na Himsyaat Sarva BhutaanI). But, here Krishna says that a Soul can never be destroyed or killed by anybody or anything. Isn't it contradictory? Does the Shastras means "Body" shouldn't be injured and not refers to Soul? Not really, since after the soul leaves the body, body perishes by itself. The reason is, when Shastras warn us not to mistreat or harm other creatures, it means that we shouldn't "separate" a body and it's soul, because we have no right to do it!! (source: Katavalli Upanishad). We may think, perhaps the shastras only ask us not to kill the bodies of other creatures. When Veda says cow slaughter should be avoided, does it mean the body of the cow should not be hurt? This is also not correct. Because, when someone dies, the body is cremated by igniting fire to the body. None calls this as himsa or hurting. So the shastras instruct us not to harm a body which is living or when the soul is inside. Therefore, the implication is that one should not cause maranam [death]. Maranam means mruth prana thyagena. That is separation of atman from the body and the Vedas advise us not to do this separation. So, the correct interpretation of the shastras is that, we are not authorized to separate the soul from the body. Conclusion: 1.The scriptures don't talk of destroying the body alone.(dead body) 2. The scriptures ban unrighteous separation of soul from body. This is called non-violence theory or policy of ahimsa. 3. In case of situations like righteous war, the scriptures allow the action of separaton of soul from body. This is only to establish righteousness . As the soul is indestructible and cannot be destroyed by any agent, its ignorance to think that one can destroy the "very existence" itself even in righteous actions like war. The soul continues to exist even after the action of "killing" known to the world. <blockquote>न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥२- २०॥</blockquote><blockquote>na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ॥ 2-20 ॥</blockquote>"For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He was not born at the time of kalpa, does not disappear at the end of kalpa. He is unborn, eternal, unchanging and very ancient. He is not slain when the body is slain." The soul never takes birth or dies. The soul is unborn , beyond destruction , without any changes in their intrinsic state and remains FRESH even after being many ages old. It is not formed at the beginning of creation and it is not destroyed at the end of this world. The soul remains even as the body perishes. Soul is -> "ajah:" (unborn), "Nitya:"(eternal), "Sasvatah:"(not subject to modification), "Puranah" (pura-apinavah: -> always fresh;-) ), forever(kadacit). The word purana means ancient. Etymologically it stems from purapi navah meaning old yet new illustrating that the eternal soul although ancient is experienced with every birth as ever new. Thus it has been clarified that the physical body only perishes but never can the eternal soul perish. The 17th sloka dealt with the reasoning that since there is not a smaller entity than the atman, it is indestructible. In the 18th sloka, since the body was a composite of the five elements and since it was growing and waning, it is destroyable. In the 19th sloka, it was told that he, who does not understand this true nature of atman and body, is not a wise man. Having stated so, now in the 20th sloka, Sri Krishna establishes that atman does not undergo any changes whatsoever. In this slokam, Krishna says that Soul is not only eternal and indestructible, but it is not subject to any change, at ANY time. This is to address the doubt Arjuna had on whether the Soul was "indestructible and not subject to change", just now or in last 1000 years and probably it has a "manufacturing and expiry" date?. Krishna says emphatically that soul is "ALWAYS" eternal, unborn, without death and unchanging. Now, we will have a doubt. In shastras, it is mentioned that the lifespan of a human is less than Devas , which is less than Brahma etc.. (eg: 1 human year is equal to 1 day for deva). 4 Yugas = 4,320,000 years * 1000 is the span of Brahma for one kalpa, when Shrusti and Pralayam takes place. Krishna says here, that Soul is never born or dead during any of this times, whether it is Shrusthi, Pralayam, Kalpa or a human life span!! Now, another question arises, since the souls are eternal, are we Paramatma?? No, Jeevatmas are separate from Paramatma. Due to ignorance and material contact, we have lost this true knowledge. Based on our karmas, the soul takes bodies accordingly. In an inanimate object, also soul exists, but it has no way to increase it's understanding. Beyond, inanimate objects is trees, then animals, then human, then devas etc. When it acheives true knowledge, it reaches "paramapadam" to live eternally with Paramatma. Each of this body, gives the soul a potential to gain the true nature of itself. Soul is not subject to the six types of change, like body! But, intrestingly, even though Soul is eternal, it appears to be changing as per the body it takes.It's similar to we wearing different types and colors of dresses every day! Even though we are the same person, our external appearance seems to change as per the dress we wear! This Self (Atman) is destitute of the six types of transformation or Bhava-Vikaras such as birth, existence, growth, transformation, decline and death. As It is indivisible (Akhanda). It does not diminish in size. It neither grows nor does It decline. It is ever the same. Birth and death are for the physical body only. Birth and death cannot touch the immortal, all-pervading Self. The understanding that the eternal soul is never slain is being confirmed by its freedom from the six changes of material existence being: birth, existence, growth, modification, decay and death which are controlling all living entities high and low in the material existence. The Supreme Lord by declaring the eternal soul is not born confirms the absence of any birth and by declaring the eternal soul does not die confirms the absence of any destruction. The word va occurring twice is used in the sense of and as in and the immortal soul does not come into existence by birth. The immortal soul is already by nature itself eternal. So existence by conception is proven false due to the fact the eternal soul is birthless. That which is conceived attains existence after birth; but that which already eternally exists by its own nature cannot be conceived again. This is the purport of this verse. Constant means not subject to modification. This confirms the absence of growth. Eternal confirms the absence of decay. Ancient confirms the absence of ageing ever beyond time the eternal soul is ageless. Thus there is never a repetition regarding the existence of the eternal soul and the six changes of the physical of birth, existence, growth, modification, decay and death mentioned by Yaksa and other expounders of the Vedic scriptures as to the nature of things in this world never is applicable to the eternal soul which factually every living entity born from a womb possesses. The imperishable nature of the soul and the fact that the six changes of the physical body have no influence on it which is the topic presently under discussion has now been satisfactorily concluded and so it is confirmed that the eternal soul does not perish when the body perishes. In the Katha Upanisad also we find a similar passage which reads: na jayate mriyate va vipascin nayam kutascin na vibhuva kascit ajo nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire (Katha 1.2.18) The meaning and purport of this verse is the same as in the Bhagavad-gita, but here in this verse there is one special word, vipascit, which means learned or with knowledge. The soul is full of knowledge, or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the symptom of the soul. Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness. Sometimes we do not find the sun in the sky owing to clouds, or for some other reason, but the light of the sun is always there, and we are convinced that it is therefore daytime. As soon as there is a little light in the sky early in the morning, we can understand that the sun is in the sky. Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all bodies--whether man or animal--we can understand the presence of the soul. This consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge--past, present and future. The consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Krsna. The soul is full of knowledge, or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the symptom of the soul. Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness. Sometimes we do not find the sun in the sky owing to clouds, or for some other reason, but the light of the sun is always there, and we are convinced that it is therefore daytime. As soon as there is a little light in the sky early in the morning, we can understand that the sun is in the sky. Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all bodies--whether man or animal--we can understand the presence of the soul. This consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge--past, present and future. The consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Krsna. The great deluge [pralayam] is called kalpa. At the start of the kalpa, Brahma creates everything in this Universe. At that time also the atman is not created. Nor the atmans perish at the end of a kalpa. When a child is born, at that time an atman chooses that body and is born. Atman is there in everything. It is in this plant and in that pillar. One may wonder how atman can be in those inanimate objects. But if we examine closely, even our body is inanimate and we know atman is there. So, there is atman in all materials also. The only difference is that the atman in our body can develop his knowledge while, the atman in the pillar has no scope for wisdom. The atman in that pillar is there to expend the karma he had acquired and the moment that is over, that atman will depart that pillar and reside in another body. The magnitude of the wisdom of the atman in any body is determined by its past karma. If the wisdom is, let us say, 0%, it resides in an inanimate body like pillar. A slightly higher intellectual makes the soul to take a bird s body or animal s body. More wisdom makes the soul to take    bodies of human beings or devas or even a Brahma. So the ranking of the knowledge decides the body that soul will be residing. The up and down in gyana or wisdom is only found in atmans. Once, the soul has taken a body, he tries to develop his wisdom and seek a higher level and ultimately, resides in the Sri Vaikuntam or His abode from where there is no more return for the atman to lower planes like this earth. Thus atman is eternal and never undergoes any change. Sri Krishna calls atman as purana. Pura api navaha puranaha is the Sanskrit meaning for the word purana. It means to say that it is very ancient and at the same time fresh or novel. Atman also is ancient but appears fresh everyday. It is common knowledge that we seek changes so as to avoid monotonous, which can be boring and dull. We rearrange our surroundings. We change our dress. So Arjuna feels that an unchanging and static atman might cause boredom. Sri Krishna allays such thoughts and says that atman is fresh everyday with more and better knowledge. This is a greatness of atman that though he is changeless, he appears afresh every time. Like Sri Aravamudan of Thirukkudanthai [Kumbakonam], Alwar says, every time he visits Him, he finds Him revealing Himself differently. We listen to Sri Ramayana. But every time we listen it refreshes our knowledge. So He now tells Arjuna that by killing Bheeshma, he will not kill the atman of Bheeshma. <blockquote>वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ॥२- २१॥</blockquote><blockquote>vedāvināśinaṁ nityaṁ ya enam ajam avyayam kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam ॥ 2-21॥</blockquote>O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or encourage anyone to kill?" Tirumangai Azhwar says in Thirunedundantakam - Munuru(Achit), Pinuru(Jeevatma,Chit), Ponuru (Paramatma). " .. Irrapaturuku enathu!". Paramatma is embedded inside every Jeevatma and Jeevatma is in every material body. One who knows the true nature of soul is eternal understands that he cannot destroy or kill anybody, nor will be make an attempt to kill. Krishna says this to Arjuna to ensure that if he knows this truth, he will understand that he cannot kill Bhishma, Drona etc. Atma is inside Shareeram, temporarily. Soul is "AJAM" (unborn, unchanging)., NITYAM(eternal), AVINASINAM (indestructible), "AVYAYAM" (unchangeable). Whoever realises this gnaanam (i.e a soul is unborn, eternal, indestructible), CANNOT kill anybody and neither will he even attempt to kill i.e "Katam cha purushah paartha!". There are two types of Tattvam - ParaaDarsham, PratyaDarsham. Achit (Lamp, Stone etc) are all Paraaa Darsham. Whereas, human, animal etc is all "PratyaDarsham", because we all have the feeling of "I" (self), which is "Self-illuminating". So possessing adhyatmik intelligence, knowing the soul to be eternal, understanding it to be birthless and deathless being of an inexhaustible nature how is it possible for anyone to commit any act of destruction against the immortal soul which dwells in trillions of various and diverse living entities among the 8 million 400 thousand species of life throughout the billions of material universes. Whom can anyone destroy? How can anyone destroy anyone? Who can cause anyone to be destroyed? No one can! Thus it can be seen that ignorance of the eternal nature of the soul is the cause of all grief by not understanding that the soul is immortal and thinking that the eternal soul perishes when the physical body perishes. Comprehending that what happens to the immortal soul when the physical body ceases to function is factually the withdrawal from an old physical body to enter into a new physical body. So it can be understood that those who have deep regret for the loss of the physical body, serving as it does as the facility for securing and enjoying material pleasures; these living entities should reflect on the futility and temporal nature of material existence rather than trying to eternally exploit their senses. Yaksha poses this question to DharmaPutram in Mahabharat - "What is the most wonderful-AAshcharyam thing in this world" ?? Yudishtra replies that "even though this body has 9 holes, the Jeevatma doesn't fly away and still resides in this body!.. that is the most amazing thing in this world" . Body is "NavaDwara Pura patnam". Yaksha poses another question : "What is even more amazing"? Yudishtra replies that "Seeing so many people die also, a person still thinks he is going to live forever. For eg: Even the pallbearers plan to make a living by carrying dead!". So it is very difficult to come to that realization that the atman is everlasting and the body only perishes. <blockquote>वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि । तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णान्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥२- २२॥</blockquote><blockquote>vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro ’parāṇi tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāny anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī ॥ 2-22॥</blockquote>"As a person puts on new garments, giving up used up ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." Arjuna has a doubt now, after hearing Krishna mentioning that Atma is Nityam, Indestructible etc , body is temporary and will fall and that one has to bear the pain to achieve the goal. But, human has an attachment by nature with his body, due to the association of being in it. It's natural! So, isn't it normal to show attachment to a body which has given us company throughout the life and not show any dukham to it's demise or destruction?? In response Krishna mentions that Slokam. He says that rather than showing Dukham at the demise of the body, one should express joy! He says, just like a man wears new garments and throws off worn out garments, similarly the Jeevatma casts off one body and takes another. So, isn't it a cause for joy rather than sorrow? So, rather than feeling sorrow of casting away old body and taking new, it should be joyous occasion. In Taittraya Upanishad " Yuvasya .. athisthio... Maanusha Anandah", it says that Youth is the ultimate fountainhead of happiness for human life and when this body has overlasted it's usefulness, so isn't it a joy to shed it? Now, Arjuna had another doubt - If at the end of this life, one gets a worst body e.g. animal etc due to past karmas, isn't it a scary thought? i.e if one gets to wear rags, it would be preferable to wear an old shirt, rather than shedding it and wearing a rag. Krishna says that, Arjuna need not fear, since he is fighting a battle doing his Kshatriya duty and even if he perishes in the battle, he is assured of swargam. So, he need not worry about the next life. Transference of the atomic individual soul to another body is made possible by the grace of the Supersoul. The Supersoul fulfills the desire of the atomic soul as one friend fulfills the desire of another. The Vedas, like the Mundaka Upanisad, as well as the Svetasvatara Upanisad, compare the soul and the Supersoul to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird (Krsna) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds--although they are the same in quality-- one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing the activities of His friend. Krsna is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is the eating bird. Although they are friends, one is still the master and the other is the servant. Forgetfulness of this relationship by the atomic soul is the

cause of one's changing his position from one tree to another or from one body to another. The jiva soul is struggling very hard on the tree of the material body, but as soon as he agrees to accept the other bird as the supreme spiritual master--as Arjuna agreed to do by voluntary surrender unto Krsna for instruction-- the subordinate bird immediately becomes free from all lamentations. Both the Katha Upanisad and Svetasvatara Upanisad confirm this: samane vrkse puruso nimagno 'nisaya socati muhyamanah justam yada pasyaty anyam isam asya mahimanam iti vita-sokah "Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and knows His glories--at once the suffering bird becomes free from all anxieties." Arjuna has now turned his face towards his eternal friend, Krsna, and is understanding the Bhagavad-gita from Him. And thus, hearing from Krsna, he can understand the supreme glories of the Lord and be free from lamentation. <blockquote>नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥२- २३॥</blockquote><blockquote>अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च । नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ॥२- २४॥</blockquote><blockquote>nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ॥ 2-23॥</blockquote><blockquote>acchedyo ’yam adāhyo ’yam akledyo ’śoṣya eva ca nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur acalo ’yaṁ sanātanaḥ ॥ 2-24 ॥</blockquote>"The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor dried by the wind."  "This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same." The concept of indestructibility of the soul that was already spoken from 11 to 17 is being reiterated here for the sake of emphasis. Soul cannot be cleaved, burnt, wetted or dryed by weapons, fire, water and air respectively. It is not capable of being pervaded by them and cleaving, burning, wetting and drying are actions which can take place only by pervading a substance. Krishna says the same thing in both verses 23 and 24, only with a different wording. Why?? Because, this is important and he wants to reemphasize the truth of such import, by repeating and stressing on it. No Weapons can cut this soul! Fire cannot burn this soul! Water cannot drown or destroy this soul! Air cannot dry or destroy this soul! Why? Because soul is pervaded inside everything! Now a question will arise - Isn't this pervasion, omnipresence a characterisitic of only Paramatma?? Not really. Paramatma is indeed omnipresent, but Jeevatma also has pervasion(sarvagatah). The significant difference is that, numerous jeevatmas pervaded throughout the substances of this world and at any single time, single place, a jeevatma can only pervade only one place, unlike Paramatma who pervades across space, time and place. Now, Arjuna has another doubt. Ok, a soul cannot be cut, burnt or destroyed in any way. But, will a soul will subject to perishment over course of time? Will it change its nature, svabhavam over time?? Krishna says NO. Self is eternal. It is Stable, Immovable (achalah) and primeval (Puratanah). Another important point here is that Krishna says Self is always having knowledge(achalah) and it doesn't change or get any new knowledge. What makes humans and other beings behave differently is due to this knowledge being hidden or covered due to karmas, just like a Sun gets temporarily obscured by clouds. Though the two slokas appear to be repetitive, the 23rd sloka talks of implements, if any, to destroy atman and the next sloka says the atman is indestructible. It is our experience in our schools also that important points are reiterated by teachers so that they are remembered always. Here, Sri Krishna also a Teacher par excellence, wants Arjuna to remember these noble qualities of atman, and so reiterates. This will clear any doubts Arjuna has. In the first place, He says that no weapons are there to cut the atman. Fire cannot burn it. Water cannot wet it. Here it should be understood that the atman couldn t be  dissolved by water. Air cannot dry it. In the next sloka Sri Krishna says about the everlasting nature of atman, which we had seen earlier. But, in addition He makes another statement that atman is pervading or permeating all over. We have heard that only Paramatma or God only is all pervading and omni present. How, then, atman can have this quality? The interpretation by elders is that when an atman is in a body, by its power of wisdom or knowledge it is pervading in the entire body without a gap. Same atman when takes another body as its residence, pervades that body fully. Like this many bodies are fully pervaded by the atman, at different times. This is a major difference between the Paramatma and the Jeevatma. While, the former permeates all bodies always and simultaneously, the latter occupies different bodies at different times. It is said that certain yogis have that power to have their atman present in more than one body at the same time. Normally, atman is present in one body only. Arjuna accepts that it is all right the atman cannot be dissolved by water or burnt by fire and so on, but it is possible, he doubts, that the atman might fade on its own and disappear. Sri Krishna says that the eternalness is natural to atman. Still not convinced, Arjuna feels that the atman may change its characters with time. He wants to know whether atman s swabhavam or characteristics undergo change. Sri Krishna says that the swabhavam of atman is gyana or intellect. In other words it is gyana swaroopy, a personification of wisdom. This never changes. A fresh doubt comes in the mind of Arjuna. We find knowledge is neither uniform nor complete and we take efforts to develop. So how it is justified to say that the knowledge of soul is not changing? Our elders have explained this. All atman have total wisdom but when in a body, the knowledge exhibited is limited by the past karmas. So the brightness is reduced by the karmas. We dig the earth at a place for water. Water gushes out. Water was already present there and by digging at the right place the water sprang up. Similarly, the gyana or knowledge is already in the soul and by our efforts we try to bring out and become more knowledgeable. Like Sunshine being reduced by the clouds or the umbrella. So, the atman s gyana is also permanent.

cause of one's changing his position from one tree to another or from one body to another. The jiva soul is struggling very hard on the tree of the material body, but as soon as he agrees to accept the other bird as the supreme adhyatmik master--as Arjuna agreed to do by voluntary surrender unto Krsna for instruction-- the subordinate bird immediately becomes free from all lamentations. Both the Katha Upanisad and Svetasvatara Upanisad confirm this: samane vrkse puruso nimagno 'nisaya socati muhyamanah justam yada pasyaty anyam isam asya mahimanam iti vita-sokah "Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and knows His glories--at once the suffering bird becomes free from all anxieties." Arjuna has now turned his face towards his eternal friend, Krsna, and is understanding the Bhagavad-gita from Him. And thus, hearing from Krsna, he can understand the supreme glories of the Lord and be free from lamentation. <blockquote>नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥२- २३॥</blockquote><blockquote>अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च । नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ॥२- २४॥</blockquote><blockquote>nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ॥ 2-23॥</blockquote><blockquote>acchedyo ’yam adāhyo ’yam akledyo ’śoṣya eva ca nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur acalo ’yaṁ sanātanaḥ ॥ 2-24 ॥</blockquote>"The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor dried by the wind."  "This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same." The concept of indestructibility of the soul that was already spoken from 11 to 17 is being reiterated here for the sake of emphasis. Soul cannot be cleaved, burnt, wetted or dryed by weapons, fire, water and air respectively. It is not capable of being pervaded by them and cleaving, burning, wetting and drying are actions which can take place only by pervading a substance. Krishna says the same thing in both verses 23 and 24, only with a different wording. Why?? Because, this is important and he wants to reemphasize the truth of such import, by repeating and stressing on it. No Weapons can cut this soul! Fire cannot burn this soul! Water cannot drown or destroy this soul! Air cannot dry or destroy this soul! Why? Because soul is pervaded inside everything! Now a question will arise - Isn't this pervasion, omnipresence a characterisitic of only Paramatma?? Not really. Paramatma is indeed omnipresent, but Jeevatma also has pervasion(sarvagatah). The significant difference is that, numerous jeevatmas pervaded throughout the substances of this world and at any single time, single place, a jeevatma can only pervade only one place, unlike Paramatma who pervades across space, time and place. Now, Arjuna has another doubt. Ok, a soul cannot be cut, burnt or destroyed in any way. But, will a soul will subject to perishment over course of time? Will it change its nature, svabhavam over time?? Krishna says NO. Self is eternal. It is Stable, Immovable (achalah) and primeval (Puratanah). Another important point here is that Krishna says Self is always having knowledge(achalah) and it doesn't change or get any new knowledge. What makes humans and other beings behave differently is due to this knowledge being hidden or covered due to karmas, just like a Sun gets temporarily obscured by clouds. Though the two slokas appear to be repetitive, the 23rd sloka talks of implements, if any, to destroy atman and the next sloka says the atman is indestructible. It is our experience in our schools also that important points are reiterated by teachers so that they are remembered always. Here, Sri Krishna also a Teacher par excellence, wants Arjuna to remember these noble qualities of atman, and so reiterates. This will clear any doubts Arjuna has. In the first place, He says that no weapons are there to cut the atman. Fire cannot burn it. Water cannot wet it. Here it should be understood that the atman couldn t be  dissolved by water. Air cannot dry it. In the next sloka Sri Krishna says about the everlasting nature of atman, which we had seen earlier. But, in addition He makes another statement that atman is pervading or permeating all over. We have heard that only Paramatma or God only is all pervading and omni present. How, then, atman can have this quality? The interpretation by elders is that when an atman is in a body, by its power of wisdom or knowledge it is pervading in the entire body without a gap. Same atman when takes another body as its residence, pervades that body fully. Like this many bodies are fully pervaded by the atman, at different times. This is a major difference between the Paramatma and the Jeevatma. While, the former permeates all bodies always and simultaneously, the latter occupies different bodies at different times. It is said that certain yogis have that power to have their atman present in more than one body at the same time. Normally, atman is present in one body only. Arjuna accepts that it is all right the atman cannot be dissolved by water or burnt by fire and so on, but it is possible, he doubts, that the atman might fade on its own and disappear. Sri Krishna says that the eternalness is natural to atman. Still not convinced, Arjuna feels that the atman may change its characters with time. He wants to know whether atman s swabhavam or characteristics undergo change. Sri Krishna says that the swabhavam of atman is gyana or intellect. In other words it is gyana swaroopy, a personification of wisdom. This never changes. A fresh doubt comes in the mind of Arjuna. We find knowledge is neither uniform nor complete and we take efforts to develop. So how it is justified to say that the knowledge of soul is not changing? Our elders have explained this. All atman have total wisdom but when in a body, the knowledge exhibited is limited by the past karmas. So the brightness is reduced by the karmas. We dig the earth at a place for water. Water gushes out. Water was already present there and by digging at the right place the water sprang up. Similarly, the gyana or knowledge is already in the soul and by our efforts we try to bring out and become more knowledgeable. Like Sunshine being reduced by the clouds or the umbrella. So, the atman s gyana is also permanent.

<blockquote>अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते । तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ॥२- २५॥</blockquote><blockquote>avyakto ’yam acintyo ’yam avikāryo ’yam ucyate tasmād evaṁ viditvainaṁ nānuśocitum arhasi ॥ 2-25 ॥</blockquote>

<blockquote>अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते । तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ॥२- २५॥</blockquote><blockquote>avyakto ’yam acintyo ’yam avikāryo ’yam ucyate tasmād evaṁ viditvainaṁ nānuśocitum arhasi ॥ 2-25 ॥</blockquote>

atha cainaṁ nitya-jātaṁ nityaṁ vā manyase mṛtam tathāpi tvaṁ mahā-bāho nainaṁ śocitum arhasi ॥ 2-26 ॥   

atha cainaṁ nitya-jātaṁ nityaṁ vā manyase mṛtam tathāpi tvaṁ mahā-bāho nainaṁ śocitum arhasi ॥ 2-26 ॥   

"If, however, you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] is always born and dies forever, you still have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed." In the previous slokas, Krishna emphasized the body is different from Soul and says to Arjuna not to worry about this temporary body and fight in the war. . But in this sloka and the next two slokas, Krishna indulges in "Adbhukgamavadam" , where he changes tact , In this you argue your point agreeing with the point what your opponent is imagining. So, Sri Krishna argues assuming that the body and soul are same, as thought by Arjuna. If both are same also Arjuna should not mourn at the killing of Bheeshma or Drona. Because, as the body falls, the soul also dies according to the assumption of Arjuna. He should not now worry where the soul is going, to hell or heaven, as the soul is no longer there after the body is slain. So, here he says, Arjuna .. Ok, even if you consider Atma is identical with body and is "NityaJatam"(constantly born) and "NityamMurtam" (Constantly dying), even then (tatah pi), you should not feel grief. Why? The only constant in this body is CHANGE! We don't always remain a kid, a boy,a youth or so on. Even things around us, change constantly! Now, Arjuna says, he is not worried about change, but death. Krishna says, why worry about death? Arjuna says, he is worried to be separated from everybody or others separating and the unknown stage after death. Krishna laughs and says, if Arjuna is considering body and soul as one and the same, what is there to worry about death, because once the body perishes, it's the end of body and soul! This is a good example of how ignorance can cloud us with fear. For e.g. when we get hurt etc, we are scared, but the expert Medics are calm and repair us without any fear. A surgeon is not scared to operate or seeing blood etc, but we are scared. Why? Because the surgeon is an expert. This shows that ignorance is the root of this fear. Another reason is "experience".. Lack of awareness is also another reason for fear. For eg. if we are familiar with a misery or a disease etc, it is no longer a reason for fear. So, if Arjuna thinks body and soul are one and the same, change is inevitable and there is no reason to worry. Similarly, the question of Swargam, Narakam doesn't arise, because if Arjuna considers body and soul are one and the same, there is no swargam, Narakam. Arjuna now has another doubt - "We" know the change in One body i.e from infant to old age, but when we shed one body and take another body, we are not aware of the old body and that is a reason for fear, since the past and future are unknown. Krishna responds that, if we remember every past life, then we will end up being inundated with past memories and past relationships, which will end us drowned in samasaram, without any chance of redemption. Only great yogis and gnaanis have this power of rememberance, since it doesn't disturb them. So, Krishna says that birth and death are inevitable for the body, whose nature is modification and there is no need to feel grief. Krsna sarcastically addressed Arjuna as maha-bahu, mighty-armed, because He, at least, did not accept the theory of the Vaibhasikas (a school of philosophy which does not accept soul), which leaves aside the Vedic wisdom. As a ksatriya, Arjuna belonged to the Vedic culture, and it behooved him to continue to follow its principles. <blockquote>जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २-२७॥</blockquote><blockquote>jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi ॥ 2-27 ॥</blockquote>"One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament." Krishna says that whatever is originating, it's destruction is certain and whatever is perishable, it will inevitably originate. Arjuna now has a doubt. If he wins the war and whatever is born is going to perish, it means the win will also be temporary. So, why even battle?? Similarly, shouldn't a person who has recuperated from disease is happy, should he be, because his recuperation is ultimately temporary? Krishna responds saying that, this efforts are required for clearing of the trouble for that period, which is natural and there is no confusion or wrong about it. Similarly, it's Arjuna's responsibility to fight his way from the current situation, rather than running away. Now another doubt comes up - Is something coming up from nothing or is it coming up from something ; This two types of arguments are called - Sat-kaarya Vaadham and Asat-kaarya Vaadham. e.g. To take an analogy, it's the difference between Discovery and Invention. Discovery is something which is already there and been identified for use (eg> country, columbus discovering America). Invention is creating something which was not there previously (eg> Telephone). But, really speaking, the components of telephone was always there and it's only been arranged in a new way. e.g Wool.Thread strung together becomes a Cloth. Similarly, something can come out of something and nothing (this is Satkaarya Vaadham) and when it perishes, it doesn't go away. but is transformed. eg. when a pot is broken, even though the Pot is destroyed, it creates the clay (broken into clay pieces). Similarly, when a body perishes, it takes a different form. It is evident that death of the physical body is inevitable to whatever is born and that there is no way to escape from this physical termination of the body. Similarly rebirth is unavoidable once one's physical body has died. How can something which has been lost become again? It is conceivable that something which has already been to become again; but it is inconceivable for that which has never been to become. Therefore there is nothing that can come that has not been. What is known as birth and death is but just different modifications of an ever existing condition. Yarn and other materials exist but when they are woven into a fabric that is a particular arrangement of the yarn itself, it receives the name cloth in its modified state. Even the asat-karya-vadis who follow the fallacious hypothesis that existence comes from non-existence should admit the ever existing state, for what we know as cloth to them is a new creation but is factually the same old yarn only in a new form which has been created. It is not sagacious or well thought out to assume that a new substance has come into being simply because of a modified condition. Thus coming into existence and disappearing from existence are modified states of an ever existing reality. One of the conditions of this modified state is its appearance called birth and another condition being its diametric opposite is known as death which by disappearing this ever existing reality passes into. For a substance which is intrinsically metamorphic the process of modification is essential. As in the case of a clod of earth, transformed into clay, transformed into a pot, transformed into dust and transformed back to earth again. The manifestation of a subsequent condition is but a modification of a previous condition and that same subsequent condition becomes a prior condition of another subsequent condition. Reasoning in this way it can be understood that it is natural that successive modifications take place in regards to creation and destruction of physical bodies which cannot be avoided and there is no reason to lament due to this. If there is some slight grief which may be apparent by the passing from a prior modified state to a subsequent modified state even this grief need not arise in the case of living entities such as human beings because... and the next verse 28 clarifies why.<blockquote>अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत । अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥ २-२८॥</blockquote><blockquote>avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata avyakta-nidhanāny eva tatra kā paridevanā ॥ 2-28 ॥</blockquote>"The [five elements made] body is not capable of revealing the past [but] middle [present] revealed. Future not revealed, Oh! Bharatha, where is then need for grief?" All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation? Note, slokas 26,27,28 are all based on the assumption that body and soul are the same and Krishna presenting that even assuming this false assumption is true, even then one should not get disturbed by the death or destruction of this body. Take for eg: Pot, clay, mud are three different forms of the same thing and one thing transforms into another in it's cycle of formation and destruction. Atleast for Pot, we know what form it will take (mud, clay etc), when it gets broken. But, for human, we wouldn't know for sure what it's future state be, after death. After death, it may take a better form. Arjuna asks, whether it's possible to know what the past or future states would be? Krishna responds that, we won't know our past or future, but only our present. This body which is made up of PanchaBhootams(Bhootani) is "Avyaaktaani" (unknown) in the past; Our current state(madhya) is known (Vyaktaani); Our future i.e after death (Nidhana) is unknown(Avyaktaani). So, there is no point in grieving about the future stage. Do remember that this sloka is based on the assumption that body and soul are same and Krishna is presenting it from this point of view and letting Arjuna know, even with this assumption, there is no point in grieving(paridevana) about future or past. Accepting that there are two classes of philosophers, one believing in the existence of soul and the other not believing in the existence of the soul, there is no cause for lamentation in either case. Nonbelievers in the existence of the soul are called atheists by followers of Vedic wisdom. Yet even if, for argument's sake, we accept the atheistic theory, there is still no cause for lamentation. Apart from the separate existence of the soul, the material elements remain unmanifested before creation. From this subtle state of unmanifestation comes manifestation, just as from ether, air is generated; from air, fire is generated; from fire, water is generated; and from water, earth becomes manifested. From the earth, many varieties of manifestations take place. Take, for example, a big skyscraper manifested from the earth. When it is dismantled, the manifestation becomes again unmanifested and remains as atoms in the ultimate stage. The law of conservation of energy remains, but in course of time things are manifested and unmanifested--that is the difference. Then what cause is there for lamentation either in the stage of manifestation or unmanifestation? Somehow or other, even in the unmanifested stage, things are not lost. Both at the beginning and at the end, all elements remain unmanifested, and only in the middle are they manifested, and this does not make any real material difference. And if we accept the Vedic conclusion as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (antavanta ime dehah) that these material bodies are perishable in due course of time (nityasyoktah saririnah) but that soul is eternal, then we must remember always that the body is like a dress; therefore why lament the changing of a dress? Why then is it seen that even men possessing intelligence lament in this world? It is simply due to ignorance about the true nature of the eternal soul. Having this theme in mind the abstruseness of the eternal soul is being given, in the next slokam <blockquote>आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन- माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः । आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः श‍ृणोति  श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥ २-२९॥</blockquote><blockquote>āścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam āścarya-vad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ āścarya-vac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpy enaṁ veda na caiva kaścit ॥ 2-29 ॥</blockquote>In the previous three slokas, Krishna expatiated about not being concerned about Body and how it is temporary. Arjuna is now baffled that he is unable to comprehend this reality and is still scared. All of us are in the same boat, including the great Jnaanis, even though the jnaanis are in a higher plane of understanding. The power of this bodily conception is very difficult to overcome. Krishna responds to this fear of Arjuna: This amazing (Aasharyavati ) nature of soul is known/seen (Pashchati) by only one among crores and only one among crores talks(Vadati) about it and then only one among crores hears (Shrunoti) about it and then only one among crores will really understand(veda) and realise the soul exists and that body is temporary. This shows that it's only the rare among the beings that truly realises the Atma and not everybody can get away from this bodily allure and conception. Sri Krishna says that one in a crore [ten million] see atman, one in a crore only hear about atman and one in a crore only talk about him. But it is much more rare to find a person who understands atman. This may cause a doubt in us that there is no one knowing about atman. So there is nothing like atman. Because, if anything exists, then at least some persons should know about it. We talk of Mount Everest. Very few persons would have seen it. From them we understand it is there. We believe an object only if someone who had seen the object tells us. So, Arjuna doubts whether there is an atman, as nobody has seen it. Sri Krishna replies that He did not say there was no one who had seen the atman, but it is very, very rare to find a person who had seen atman. Such a person is a noble one, who can be followed. This second chapter unlike the first one is quite difficult to follow, for everyone learning Gita. Because the soul is abstract and it has no form to recognize nor are there any similar substance in the world to identify. But constant studies and thinking can slowly make us to understand. We are able to conceive God, as many forms are available. But for atman there are no icons. A beginning is now made and by continuous efforts we can refine our knowledge about atman. We shouldn't get distressed by this! How to overcome this rarity?? Our lives are totally consumed by material being. It needs dedication to reflect about our selves (Atma), focus our efforts on it and be dedicated. For eg: if a boy is given to solve a PHD maths problem, he cannot solve it. He needs to complete schooling, Graduate, masters, PHD, before he can solve it. But, at the same time, if he reached adult age, it doesn't mean that he can solve it, unless he is in the Maths field. So, this requires not only "age" & experience, but to study in that field. Similarly, in our lives, we need continued focus in the reflection of the truth about atma to understand this truth. Simply, by living in material life and diving once in a while into spiritual pursuit isn't going to help. When we put effort, the Lord too will reach his hand to guide us. Infact, knowing about Atma is difficult, because it's not seen, heard etc. Atleast dieties in temples, we can see and relish and celebrate fesivals etc, whereas for our atma this is not possible. So, this is difficult. Among innumerable beings, someone, who by great austerity has got rid of paap and has increased his merits, realises this self possessing the above mentioned nature, which is wonderful and distinct in kind from all things other than Itself. Such a one speaks of It to another. Thus, someone hears of It. And even after hearing of It, no one knows It exactly that It really exists. The term 'ca' (and) implies that even amongst the seers, the speakers and hearers, one with authentic percepetion, authentic speech and authentic hearing, is a rarity.<blockquote>देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत। तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २-३० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>dehī nityam avadhyo ’yaṁ dehe sarvasya bhārata tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi ॥ 2-30 ॥</blockquote>

"If, however, you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] is always born and dies forever, you still have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed." In the previous slokas, Krishna emphasized the body is different from Soul and says to Arjuna not to worry about this temporary body and fight in the war. . But in this sloka and the next two slokas, Krishna indulges in "Adbhukgamavadam" , where he changes tact , In this you argue your point agreeing with the point what your opponent is imagining. So, Sri Krishna argues assuming that the body and soul are same, as thought by Arjuna. If both are same also Arjuna should not mourn at the killing of Bheeshma or Drona. Because, as the body falls, the soul also dies according to the assumption of Arjuna. He should not now worry where the soul is going, to hell or heaven, as the soul is no longer there after the body is slain. So, here he says, Arjuna .. Ok, even if you consider Atma is identical with body and is "NityaJatam"(constantly born) and "NityamMurtam" (Constantly dying), even then (tatah pi), you should not feel grief. Why? The only constant in this body is CHANGE! We don't always remain a kid, a boy,a youth or so on. Even things around us, change constantly! Now, Arjuna says, he is not worried about change, but death. Krishna says, why worry about death? Arjuna says, he is worried to be separated from everybody or others separating and the unknown stage after death. Krishna laughs and says, if Arjuna is considering body and soul as one and the same, what is there to worry about death, because once the body perishes, it's the end of body and soul! This is a good example of how ignorance can cloud us with fear. For e.g. when we get hurt etc, we are scared, but the expert Medics are calm and repair us without any fear. A surgeon is not scared to operate or seeing blood etc, but we are scared. Why? Because the surgeon is an expert. This shows that ignorance is the root of this fear. Another reason is "experience".. Lack of awareness is also another reason for fear. For eg. if we are familiar with a misery or a disease etc, it is no longer a reason for fear. So, if Arjuna thinks body and soul are one and the same, change is inevitable and there is no reason to worry. Similarly, the question of Swargam, Narakam doesn't arise, because if Arjuna considers body and soul are one and the same, there is no swargam, Narakam. Arjuna now has another doubt - "We" know the change in One body i.e from infant to old age, but when we shed one body and take another body, we are not aware of the old body and that is a reason for fear, since the past and future are unknown. Krishna responds that, if we remember every past life, then we will end up being inundated with past memories and past relationships, which will end us drowned in samasaram, without any chance of redemption. Only great yogis and gnaanis have this power of rememberance, since it doesn't disturb them. So, Krishna says that birth and death are inevitable for the body, whose nature is modification and there is no need to feel grief. Krsna sarcastically addressed Arjuna as maha-bahu, mighty-armed, because He, at least, did not accept the theory of the Vaibhasikas (a school of philosophy which does not accept soul), which leaves aside the Vedic wisdom. As a ksatriya, Arjuna belonged to the Vedic culture, and it behooved him to continue to follow its principles. <blockquote>जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २-२७॥</blockquote><blockquote>jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi ॥ 2-27 ॥</blockquote>"One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament." Krishna says that whatever is originating, it's destruction is certain and whatever is perishable, it will inevitably originate. Arjuna now has a doubt. If he wins the war and whatever is born is going to perish, it means the win will also be temporary. So, why even battle?? Similarly, shouldn't a person who has recuperated from disease is happy, should he be, because his recuperation is ultimately temporary? Krishna responds saying that, this efforts are required for clearing of the trouble for that period, which is natural and there is no confusion or wrong about it. Similarly, it's Arjuna's responsibility to fight his way from the current situation, rather than running away. Now another doubt comes up - Is something coming up from nothing or is it coming up from something ; This two types of arguments are called - Sat-kaarya Vaadham and Asat-kaarya Vaadham. e.g. To take an analogy, it's the difference between Discovery and Invention. Discovery is something which is already there and been identified for use (eg> country, columbus discovering America). Invention is creating something which was not there previously (eg> Telephone). But, really speaking, the components of telephone was always there and it's only been arranged in a new way. e.g Wool.Thread strung together becomes a Cloth. Similarly, something can come out of something and nothing (this is Satkaarya Vaadham) and when it perishes, it doesn't go away. but is transformed. eg. when a pot is broken, even though the Pot is destroyed, it creates the clay (broken into clay pieces). Similarly, when a body perishes, it takes a different form. It is evident that death of the physical body is inevitable to whatever is born and that there is no way to escape from this physical termination of the body. Similarly rebirth is unavoidable once one's physical body has died. How can something which has been lost become again? It is conceivable that something which has already been to become again; but it is inconceivable for that which has never been to become. Therefore there is nothing that can come that has not been. What is known as birth and death is but just different modifications of an ever existing condition. Yarn and other materials exist but when they are woven into a fabric that is a particular arrangement of the yarn itself, it receives the name cloth in its modified state. Even the asat-karya-vadis who follow the fallacious hypothesis that existence comes from non-existence should admit the ever existing state, for what we know as cloth to them is a new creation but is factually the same old yarn only in a new form which has been created. It is not sagacious or well thought out to assume that a new substance has come into being simply because of a modified condition. Thus coming into existence and disappearing from existence are modified states of an ever existing reality. One of the conditions of this modified state is its appearance called birth and another condition being its diametric opposite is known as death which by disappearing this ever existing reality passes into. For a substance which is intrinsically metamorphic the process of modification is essential. As in the case of a clod of earth, transformed into clay, transformed into a pot, transformed into dust and transformed back to earth again. The manifestation of a subsequent condition is but a modification of a previous condition and that same subsequent condition becomes a prior condition of another subsequent condition. Reasoning in this way it can be understood that it is natural that successive modifications take place in regards to creation and destruction of physical bodies which cannot be avoided and there is no reason to lament due to this. If there is some slight grief which may be apparent by the passing from a prior modified state to a subsequent modified state even this grief need not arise in the case of living entities such as human beings because... and the next verse 28 clarifies why.<blockquote>अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत । अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥ २-२८॥</blockquote><blockquote>avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata avyakta-nidhanāny eva tatra kā paridevanā ॥ 2-28 ॥</blockquote>"The [five elements made] body is not capable of revealing the past [but] middle [present] revealed. Future not revealed, Oh! Bharatha, where is then need for grief?" All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation? Note, slokas 26,27,28 are all based on the assumption that body and soul are the same and Krishna presenting that even assuming this false assumption is true, even then one should not get disturbed by the death or destruction of this body. Take for eg: Pot, clay, mud are three different forms of the same thing and one thing transforms into another in it's cycle of formation and destruction. Atleast for Pot, we know what form it will take (mud, clay etc), when it gets broken. But, for human, we wouldn't know for sure what it's future state be, after death. After death, it may take a better form. Arjuna asks, whether it's possible to know what the past or future states would be? Krishna responds that, we won't know our past or future, but only our present. This body which is made up of PanchaBhootams(Bhootani) is "Avyaaktaani" (unknown) in the past; Our current state(madhya) is known (Vyaktaani); Our future i.e after death (Nidhana) is unknown(Avyaktaani). So, there is no point in grieving about the future stage. Do remember that this sloka is based on the assumption that body and soul are same and Krishna is presenting it from this point of view and letting Arjuna know, even with this assumption, there is no point in grieving(paridevana) about future or past. Accepting that there are two classes of philosophers, one believing in the existence of soul and the other not believing in the existence of the soul, there is no cause for lamentation in either case. Nonbelievers in the existence of the soul are called atheists by followers of Vedic wisdom. Yet even if, for argument's sake, we accept the atheistic theory, there is still no cause for lamentation. Apart from the separate existence of the soul, the material elements remain unmanifested before creation. From this subtle state of unmanifestation comes manifestation, just as from ether, air is generated; from air, fire is generated; from fire, water is generated; and from water, earth becomes manifested. From the earth, many varieties of manifestations take place. Take, for example, a big skyscraper manifested from the earth. When it is dismantled, the manifestation becomes again unmanifested and remains as atoms in the ultimate stage. The law of conservation of energy remains, but in course of time things are manifested and unmanifested--that is the difference. Then what cause is there for lamentation either in the stage of manifestation or unmanifestation? Somehow or other, even in the unmanifested stage, things are not lost. Both at the beginning and at the end, all elements remain unmanifested, and only in the middle are they manifested, and this does not make any real material difference. And if we accept the Vedic conclusion as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (antavanta ime dehah) that these material bodies are perishable in due course of time (nityasyoktah saririnah) but that soul is eternal, then we must remember always that the body is like a dress; therefore why lament the changing of a dress? Why then is it seen that even men possessing intelligence lament in this world? It is simply due to ignorance about the true nature of the eternal soul. Having this theme in mind the abstruseness of the eternal soul is being given, in the next slokam <blockquote>आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन- माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः । आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः श‍ृणोति  श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥ २-२९॥</blockquote><blockquote>āścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam āścarya-vad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ āścarya-vac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpy enaṁ veda na caiva kaścit ॥ 2-29 ॥</blockquote>In the previous three slokas, Krishna expatiated about not being concerned about Body and how it is temporary. Arjuna is now baffled that he is unable to comprehend this reality and is still scared. All of us are in the same boat, including the great Jnaanis, even though the jnaanis are in a higher plane of understanding. The power of this bodily conception is very difficult to overcome. Krishna responds to this fear of Arjuna: This amazing (Aasharyavati ) nature of soul is known/seen (Pashchati) by only one among crores and only one among crores talks(Vadati) about it and then only one among crores hears (Shrunoti) about it and then only one among crores will really understand(veda) and realise the soul exists and that body is temporary. This shows that it's only the rare among the beings that truly realises the Atma and not everybody can get away from this bodily allure and conception. Sri Krishna says that one in a crore [ten million] see atman, one in a crore only hear about atman and one in a crore only talk about him. But it is much more rare to find a person who understands atman. This may cause a doubt in us that there is no one knowing about atman. So there is nothing like atman. Because, if anything exists, then at least some persons should know about it. We talk of Mount Everest. Very few persons would have seen it. From them we understand it is there. We believe an object only if someone who had seen the object tells us. So, Arjuna doubts whether there is an atman, as nobody has seen it. Sri Krishna replies that He did not say there was no one who had seen the atman, but it is very, very rare to find a person who had seen atman. Such a person is a noble one, who can be followed. This second chapter unlike the first one is quite difficult to follow, for everyone learning Gita. Because the soul is abstract and it has no form to recognize nor are there any similar substance in the world to identify. But constant studies and thinking can slowly make us to understand. We are able to conceive God, as many forms are available. But for atman there are no icons. A beginning is now made and by continuous efforts we can refine our knowledge about atman. We shouldn't get distressed by this! How to overcome this rarity?? Our lives are totally consumed by material being. It needs dedication to reflect about our selves (Atma), focus our efforts on it and be dedicated. For eg: if a boy is given to solve a PHD maths problem, he cannot solve it. He needs to complete schooling, Graduate, masters, PHD, before he can solve it. But, at the same time, if he reached adult age, it doesn't mean that he can solve it, unless he is in the Maths field. So, this requires not only "age" & experience, but to study in that field. Similarly, in our lives, we need continued focus in the reflection of the truth about atma to understand this truth. Simply, by living in material life and diving once in a while into adhyatmik pursuit isn't going to help. When we put effort, the Lord too will reach his hand to guide us. Infact, knowing about Atma is difficult, because it's not seen, heard etc. Atleast dieties in temples, we can see and relish and celebrate fesivals etc, whereas for our atma this is not possible. So, this is difficult. Among innumerable beings, someone, who by great austerity has got rid of paap and has increased his merits, realises this self possessing the above mentioned nature, which is wonderful and distinct in kind from all things other than Itself. Such a one speaks of It to another. Thus, someone hears of It. And even after hearing of It, no one knows It exactly that It really exists. The term 'ca' (and) implies that even amongst the seers, the speakers and hearers, one with authentic percepetion, authentic speech and authentic hearing, is a rarity.<blockquote>देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत। तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २-३० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>dehī nityam avadhyo ’yaṁ dehe sarvasya bhārata tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi ॥ 2-30 ॥</blockquote>

and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who

and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who

are irresolute [performing

are irresolute [performing

on Moksham and not be many-branched or all over the place (bahushaaka) i.e

on Moksham and not be many-branched or all over the place (bahushaaka) i.e

immersed in worldy desires, being stuck in material and part

immersed in worldy desires, being stuck in material and part

spiritual pursuits or doing endless karmas for worldly desires and thoughts, it

adhyatmik pursuits or doing endless karmas for worldly desires and thoughts, it

will lead to nowhere and we will be stuck in samsara taking

will lead to nowhere and we will be stuck in samsara taking

repeated births. One who is not FIRMLY fixed in mind is diverted by various

repeated births. One who is not FIRMLY fixed in mind is diverted by various

scriptures which lead to this

scriptures which lead to this

conclusion and such being the case there can arise only one unshakeable conviction

conclusion and such being the case there can arise only one unshakeable conviction

to one possessing spiritual insight. For the fulfilment of one single attainment

to one possessing adhyatmik insight. For the fulfilment of one single attainment

being salvation, all actions

being salvation, all actions

are dedicated by one fixed in the firm resolve for salvation. Hence as the primary

are dedicated by one fixed in the firm resolve for salvation. Hence as the primary

merely a superficial pleasure in the same way it is pleasant to gaze upon a flower

merely a superficial pleasure in the same way it is pleasant to gaze upon a flower

but what is actually gained from it is negligible. Thus those of little

but what is actually gained from it is negligible. Thus those of little

understanding lacking spiritual intelligence discourse on that which concerns the

understanding lacking adhyatmik intelligence discourse on that which concerns the

acquisition of power and wealth.

acquisition of power and wealth.

The words veda-vada-ratah defines those who are addicted to the specific sections

The words veda-vada-ratah defines those who are addicted to the specific sections

is mentioned in verse 41 will be able to manifest in their minds.

is mentioned in verse 41 will be able to manifest in their minds.

The word samadhi is a permanent meditative state of mind and when achieved it can

The word samadhi is a permanent meditative state of mind and when achieved it can

be likened to the mind for the mind is where spiritual knowledge is collected,

be likened to the mind for the mind is where adhyatmik knowledge is collected,

contemplated and comprehended and where consciousness of a superior nature is

contemplated and comprehended and where consciousness of a superior nature is

attained. This is indicated by the word samadhiyate a derivative of the root word

attained. This is indicated by the word samadhiyate a derivative of the root word

samadhi. The understanding is that at no time ever does spiritual knowledge come

samadhi. The understanding is that at no time ever does adhyatmik knowledge come

to those whose minds are engrossed in mere desire for wealth and power. The

to those whose minds are engrossed in mere desire for wealth and power. The

conviction one has to obtain temporal material objects is not of the same quality

conviction one has to obtain temporal material objects is not of the same quality

qualified in this way are very careful not to connect themselves with any kamakarmas

qualified in this way are very careful not to connect themselves with any kamakarmas

or actions which bring rise to carnal desires so as not to cause any

or actions which bring rise to carnal desires so as not to cause any

impediments in their spiritual progress.

impediments in their adhyatmik progress.

Hence, in an aspirant for liberation, there should be no attachment to rituals out

Hence, in an aspirant for liberation, there should be no attachment to rituals out

of the conviction that they are meant for the acquisition of objects of desire

of the conviction that they are meant for the acquisition of objects of desire

beyond the three modes and thus being oblivious to it would miss it altogether and

beyond the three modes and thus being oblivious to it would miss it altogether and

secondly if their was no material goal which they could strive for they would lose

secondly if their was no material goal which they could strive for they would lose

faith in spiritual knowledge without rituals and practices giving them the means

faith in adhyatmik knowledge without rituals and practices giving them the means

to acquire their cherished goals such as heavenly delights and thus they would

to acquire their cherished goals such as heavenly delights and thus they would

lose both chances bequeathed to them with birth into material existence. So it is

lose both chances bequeathed to them with birth into material existence. So it is

explains to be free from dualities like praise and blame, heat and cold, pleasure

explains to be free from dualities like praise and blame, heat and cold, pleasure

and pain. Being free from them means being unattached to them. How is this to be

and pain. Being free from them means being unattached to them. How is this to be

done? By enduring them and becoming established in pure spiritual consciousness.

done? By enduring them and becoming established in pure adhyatmik consciousness.

Its characteristic is patience and endurance uninfluenced by passion or covered by

Its characteristic is patience and endurance uninfluenced by passion or covered by

ignorance. One should always be tempered by patience for one without patience is

ignorance. One should always be tempered by patience for one without patience is

Lord Krishna reiterates niryoga-ksema become free from conceptions of acquisition

Lord Krishna reiterates niryoga-ksema become free from conceptions of acquisition

and preservation. But how then would one sustain their lives? By atmavan firmly

and preservation. But how then would one sustain their lives? By atmavan firmly

established in spiritual consciousness of the soul. The essence is to understand

established in adhyatmik consciousness of the soul. The essence is to understand

that the Supreme Lord is the fulfiller and bestower of all desires. So one should

that the Supreme Lord is the fulfiller and bestower of all desires. So one should

only seek His refuge and accept His shelter. Never fear nor seek any other succour

only seek His refuge and accept His shelter. Never fear nor seek any other succour

duty. The mind of those whose actions are performed as a matter of duty are not

duty. The mind of those whose actions are performed as a matter of duty are not

disturbed or unbalanced by delusions of rewards gained or lost. The activities

disturbed or unbalanced by delusions of rewards gained or lost. The activities

performed in spiritual intelligence removes all suffering in the world and leads

performed in adhyatmik intelligence removes all suffering in the world and leads

to liberation from the material existence. Contrarily activities performed for the

to liberation from the material existence. Contrarily activities performed for the

acquisition of rewards assuredly results in suffering and affliction in the

acquisition of rewards assuredly results in suffering and affliction in the

prospects of reward. It should be understood that such living entities are krpanah

prospects of reward. It should be understood that such living entities are krpanah

or pitiable due to the fact but acting in this way they are imprisoned in the

or pitiable due to the fact but acting in this way they are imprisoned in the

material existence unable to attain their spiritual nature.

material existence unable to attain their adhyatmik nature.

Thus, when an act is being done, take refuge in Buddhi (evenness of mind). Refuge

Thus, when an act is being done, take refuge in Buddhi (evenness of mind). Refuge

means abode. Live in that buddhi, is the meaning. "miserable are they who act

means abode. Live in that buddhi, is the meaning. "miserable are they who act

this dictum or teaching is well known in all the upanishads. How actions are able

this dictum or teaching is well known in all the upanishads. How actions are able

to turn out to be the means of liberation are being now given. Those with

to turn out to be the means of liberation are being now given. Those with

spiritual intelligence who relinquish all

adhyatmik intelligence who relinquish all

fruitive desires for the results of all actions, perform in righteousness

fruitive desires for the results of all actions, perform in righteousness

activities as an offering unto the Supreme Lord are blessed with self-realisation,

activities as an offering unto the Supreme Lord are blessed with self-realisation,

and being released from the bondage of birth and death they being liberated attain

and being released from the bondage of birth and death they being liberated attain

the eternal and everlasting spiritual worlds (SriVaikuntam) of the Supreme Lord

the eternal and everlasting adhyatmik worlds (SriVaikuntam) of the Supreme Lord

Krishna.

Krishna.

Amayam means illness and Anaa-mayam means the place or position without illness.

Amayam means illness and Anaa-mayam means the place or position without illness.

same way the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord

same way the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord

Vishnu. Because those highly

Vishnu. Because those highly

praiseworthy and spiritually awake brahmanas are able to see the spiritual world,

praiseworthy and adhyatmikly awake brahmanas are able to see the adhyatmik world,

they are also able to reveal that supreme abode of Lord Vishnu." (Rig Veda

they are also able to reveal that supreme abode of Lord Vishnu." (Rig Veda

1.22.20) )

1.22.20) )

patient, however, neither likes

patient, however, neither likes

such restrictions nor loses his taste for eatables. Similarly, sense restriction

such restrictions nor loses his taste for eatables. Similarly, sense restriction

by some spiritual process like astanga-yoga, in the matter of yama, niyama, asana,

by some adhyatmik process like astanga-yoga, in the matter of yama, niyama, asana,

pranayama, pratyahara,

pranayama, pratyahara,

dharana, dhyana, etc., is recommended for less intelligent persons who have no

dharana, dhyana, etc., is recommended for less intelligent persons who have no

advancement in Krsna consciousness, no longer has a taste for dead material

advancement in Krsna consciousness, no longer has a taste for dead material

things. Therefore, restrictions are there for the less intelligent neophytes in

things. Therefore, restrictions are there for the less intelligent neophytes in

the spiritual advancement of life,

the adhyatmik advancement of life,

but such restrictions are only good if one actually has a taste for Krsna

but such restrictions are only good if one actually has a taste for Krsna

consciousness. When one is actually Krsna conscious, he automatically loses his

consciousness. When one is actually Krsna conscious, he automatically loses his

now the organs do not function properly.

now the organs do not function properly.

Sense organs are so strong that they dictate even learned persons. One situated

Sense organs are so strong that they dictate even learned persons. One situated

in spiritual intelligence with discrimination and powers of observation trying

in adhyatmik intelligence with discrimination and powers of observation trying

their level best to keep the mind

their level best to keep the mind

from gravitating towards the senses and withdrawing their mind repeatedly away

from gravitating towards the senses and withdrawing their mind repeatedly away

can also follow this simple and easier method.

can also follow this simple and easier method.

Because the uncontrolled senses are the cause of all disturbance, one with

Because the uncontrolled senses are the cause of all disturbance, one with

spiritual intelligence seeking transcendence should make their first priority to

adhyatmik intelligence seeking transcendence should make their first priority to

control ones senses.

control ones senses.

If one were to question how is it possible to control the restless senses which

If one were to question how is it possible to control the restless senses which

dementia causing loss in memory of the process one began in order to constrain the

dementia causing loss in memory of the process one began in order to constrain the

senses and control the mind. From dementia comes loss of will power, one no longer

senses and control the mind. From dementia comes loss of will power, one no longer

has the drive and incentive to cultivate themselves towards obtaining spiritual

has the drive and incentive to cultivate themselves towards obtaining adhyatmik

realisation of the eternal soul. When this happens then one perishes their

realisation of the eternal soul. When this happens then one perishes their

spiritual opportunity being drowned again and again in samsara the endless cycle

adhyatmik opportunity being drowned again and again in samsara the endless cycle

of birth and death in the material existence. So we should devote all our mind and

of birth and death in the material existence. So we should devote all our mind and

activities at the service of Lord to ensure our mind does not go astray due to

activities at the service of Lord to ensure our mind does not go astray due to

name manner wisdom

name manner wisdom

also is carried away from such a mind. [The idea is that the pursuit of sense

also is carried away from such a mind. [The idea is that the pursuit of sense

pleasures dulls one's spiritual inclination, and the mind ultimately succumbs to

pleasures dulls one's adhyatmik inclination, and the mind ultimately succumbs to

them unresisting.]

them unresisting.]

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Indiryaanam hi carataam: - Our senses (eyes, ear, taste etc) keep pursuing

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Indiryaanam hi carataam: - Our senses (eyes, ear, taste etc) keep pursuing

their ignorance of self-realization.

their ignorance of self-realization.

The introspective sage remains alert in the "night" of the materialistic men. The

The introspective sage remains alert in the "night" of the materialistic men. The

sage feels transcendental pleasure in the gradual advancement of spiritual

sage feels transcendental pleasure in the gradual advancement of adhyatmik

culture, whereas the man in

culture, whereas the man in

materialistic activities, being asleep to self-realization, dreams of varieties

materialistic activities, being asleep to self-realization, dreams of varieties

over anything. This transcendental knowledge is based on self-realization--namely,

over anything. This transcendental knowledge is based on self-realization--namely,

knowing perfectly well

knowing perfectly well

that every living entity is the eternal part and parcel of Krsna in spiritual

that every living entity is the eternal part and parcel of Krsna in adhyatmik

identity, and therefore the eternal position of the living entity is never on the

identity, and therefore the eternal position of the living entity is never on the

level of Krsna or greater than Him.

level of Krsna or greater than Him.